SHERYL CROW certainly knows how to have some fun.

She rocked onto the stage with all hits blazing, instigating an immediate sing-along with the opener All I Wanna Do, her breakthrough chart success, then hardly paused for breath.

It’s 24 years since she burst on the scene with the multi-million selling album Tuesday Night Music Club and they have been nothing if not eventful.

Numerous hit singles, nine Grammy awards, A Bond film theme song, a relationship with disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong and treatment for breast cancer have been just some of the highs and lows in Sheryl Crow’s life.

Plenty of material then and inspiration for her wonderful playlist which the enthusiastic Sage audience lapped up gleefully.

Although she has a recent album to promote, Be Myself, it was definitely greatest hits night as the familiar songs just kept on coming.

A Change Would Do You Good was followed by My Favourite Mistake then Leaving Las Vegas, as the two-hour set flashed past

Sheryl is also the proud mother of two adopted sons Wyatt and Levi, who are accompanying her on the tour and she was happy to relate the fun they had had go-karting while in the North East.

Backed by a guitar-rich six-piece backing band including local drummer Fred Eltringham , the US star included latest single Wouldn’t Wanna Be You in the set, which, in her own words “rocked like only a 56-year-old can”. The multi-instrumentalist also demonstrated that her vocal chords were in very good order hitting sky-high notes on Can’t Cry Anymore.

Earlier support act singer-songwriter Colin Macleod, from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, gave us a taster from his album Bloodlines, surely a talent to watch out for.

But it was Sheryl’s night and with the audience on their feet wrapped up the proceedings with more golden oldies.

Every Day is a Winding Road, If it Makes You Happy, Run Baby Run and Real Gone led to the closing song I Shall Believe, an anthem from the first album. Great stuff.

Gerry Crowe