If, like me, your Christmas hadn’t quite begun yet, by the end of this thoroughly entertaining evening it most certainly will have done.

With a stage decorated in fairy lights and a twinkling Christmas tree in the background, Kate Rusby brought the festive spirit brilliantly to life as she filled the packed St George’s Hall air with a series of seasonal folk songs that will have given the dourest heart a lift.

Christmas crackers left on the audience’s seats popped all around as she and her band got well into the spirit of the season with folk renditions of well-known songs with different musical twists, including gentle versions of The Holly and the Ivy, While Shepherds Watched, and Hark The Herald Angels Sing.

Her gorgeous, pure voice, slightly reminiscent to me of Melanie from way back when, was slightly hampered by a cold, but, with a mug of tea to hand, she hit the soaring notes faultlessly as her take on folky songs unfolded.

Nor did she hold back on the gently amusing patter between songs in her distinctive Barnsley accent which also broke through in some of the out-and-out folk songs.

Her band, all accoustic guitars, double bass and accordion, were splendid musicians, again reminiscent of 1960s folk band Pentangle, forming a solid, mellow accompaniment to Kate’s mellifluous tones.

They were joined, too, for a good part of the concert by a five-piece brass section adding a real touch of Christmas to the evening.

It all made for a beautifully mellow sound that left you feeling all good inside, and hoping that Kate and her band would return sooner than the two years she has been away from Bradford since since her last appearance.