There's a new CD retrospective of Jackson Browne's career, and this marathon one-man show was an equally thorough voyage around his catalogue. Without ever creating the aura that surrounds Joni Mitchell or Neil Young - maybe he should have been born Canadian - Browne has stuck to his task to become one of the most credible of the 70s singer-songwriters.

Nonetheless, playing solo for the best part of three hours is a big task even for such a seasoned campaigner, albeit one armed with 14 acoustic guitars and an electric piano. Browne's indecision over which instrument and which song to play next has become part of the act, as has his apparent willingness to play songs yelled out at him by an irritating minority of the crowd. It was only late in the proceedings that Browne confessed that he only sings the ones he planned to sing anyway. These included most of the ones you'd expect. Late for the Sky, For a Dancer and Farther On were delivered somewhat sepulchrally from the piano, while Browne had a go on the slide guitar for Your Bright Baby Blues and sang Ready or Not minus its last verse, which he now accepts was "shit".

As the show wore on, the absence of a band and some vocal harmonies began to grate, especially since many songs shared a similar feel and tempo. Hence, pieces given a fresh twist worked best, like a folky version of These Days and a country and western overhaul of Here Come Those Tears Again. This was the day before the US elections, and a couple of Jackson's political pieces tingled with particular urgency. For America rang out like the Liberty Bell, while Lives in the Balance never sounded more barbed - "when the government lies to the people, and the country is drifting to war". He's a convincing ambassador for the other America that we're in danger of losing sight of.

· At Birmingham Symphony Hall on November 14 and 15. Box office: 0121-780 3333. Then touring.