Tonight's opening, which sees Jimmy Cliff's backing band come on stage some minutes before the star himself, prompts the thought that the 56-year old may spend much of the evening taking deep breaths behind the drum riser, emerging into the spotlight only when it suits his ageing limbs. But Cliff doesn't take long to disillusion us: he treats the gig rather like a funky aerobics workout. He shakes, high-kicks, limbo dances and shadow-boxes with something that can only be, given the range and good humour of his jabs, a playful giant octopus.

At first the songs are a letdown, unless you like soul the Billy Ocean way: Reggae Nights is glossy, catchy and utterly inconsequential. Things perk up when Cliff gets serious, reminiscing about "clean springs" and "natural herb", and sending energetic versions of Vietnam and Save Our Planet Earth in the general direction of Bush and Blair.

Everyone jiggles around happily to his chant of "Stop the war!", but the event isn't quite the mass singalong it could be. The crowd isn't cohesive enough for that: Cliff's career began in the early 1960s with ska, then moved through reggae, pop, soul and rock, and different fans are here for different reasons.

He came closest to stardom with the movie The Harder They Come, and the title track comes out early, shining despite a muddy intro. Soon the hits are coming thick and fast: his cover of Cat Stevens's Wild World overflows with good will, and You Can Get It If You Really Want, made famous by Desmond Dekker, sees the mixed congregation unite at last, Cliff alternating evangelical zeal with solemn Tai Chi moves.

It is not an evening of new ideas. But as the band launch into a stripped-back version of Rivers of Babylon and Cliff slaps his bongos with passion, skill and a look of acute constipation, he seems anything but washed up.

· At Shepherds Bush Empire, London W12, tonight. Box office: 0870 771 2000.