IAN Anderson and his band were preaching to the converted at a packed Princess Theatre.

Fans enjoyed the musical journey through the band's 40-year career, and the applause turned to cheering and foot-stamping as the tempo rose towards the end.

It would be too easy to dwell on the longevity of the band — Anderson (pictured) and guitarist Martin Barre have a combined age of 125 — but in truth they rocked as hard if not harder than bands half their age.

The musicianship on show was immaculate, from Anderson's trademark flute and Barre's edgy guitars to accordion, bouzouki, percussion and harmonica.

Drummer Doane Perry's handling of complex rhythms was spellbinding, and David Goodier's six-string bass work was excellent.

John O'Hara was faultless on keyboards, but it was on the accordion that he most caught the eye.

The songs were chosen to chart the band's progress, and highlights included Songs From The Wood, Aqualung, Life Is A Long Song, and a superb encore of Locomotive Breath with Anderson at his agile best.

But some of the best moments came from lesser-known songs.

Changing Horses, written to include a sitar part while the band were in India, was spectacular, as were Eurology and Bug from solo albums by Anderson and Barre.

The gig had started with a set from French singer/songwriter Saori Jo and her guitarist Miguel Ruiz.

Her voice and keyboards were stunning, and when various members of Jethro Tull joined her for parts of her set, she was more than able to command centre stage despite her illustrious guests.

Guy Henderson