Sir Tom Jones is all class at Dubai's Burj Al Arab

The Welsh crooner performed as part of a lavish gala event at the resort

Sir Tom Jones performed at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai on January 6, 2023. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National

The concert was part of a lavish gala event

Jones performed the hits on stage in the hotel gardens

At 82 years of age, he remains in fine voice

Jones has been performing regularly over the last 12 months with tours of the US and Europe

He is also a coach on the television talent quest The Voice UK

His career spans over six decades

He released his 41st album, Surrounded by Time, in 2021

He has collaborated with countless artists in his career including Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, Lulu, Van Morrison, Robbie Williams and Portishead

He remains a longstanding class act in the industry

Sir Tom Jones proved he is still a class act in a concert at Dubai's Burj Al Arab.

The celebrated Welsh crooner was the star of a lavish gala dinner on Friday featuring a red carpet, pre-show reception and a decadent meal including plates of lobster salad and Wagyu beef, mushrooms and truffle sauce. The dishes were prepared by the hotel's acclaimed chefs, including from Al Muntaha, which earned a Michelin star last year for its exquisite French-Mediterranean cuisine.

Backed by a tight band adept at playing pop, folk, jazz and blues arrangements, Sir Tom launched into a set of originals and covers spanning his near six-decade career.

His latest album, his 41st, is 2021's Surrounded by Time. It received a decent reception, with his interpretation of The Windmills of Your Mind, co-written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, a stand-out.

It was Sir Tom's enduring signature hits that elicited the biggest reactions, however, including Sex Bomb and the Les Reed cover Delilah.

The concert, organised by M Premiere, also confirmed that at 82 years of age, Sir Tom, a British national treasure, remains current.

While his career hit a lean period in the 1980s, that was revitalised thanks to his 1999 duet album Reload, featuring guest turns from contemporary artists such as Stereophonics, Robbie Williams and Portishead.

Ever since, Sir Tom has been recording and touring regularly with his Burj Al Arab gig coming off the back of an active tour last year, which had him head across Europe and the US.

Sir Tom's latest show marks his return to the UAE after he headlined the opening night of the 2017 Dubai Jazz Festival.

He took to the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre stage with a nine-piece band and performed his hits, as well as covers of blues staples such as Burning Hell by John Lee Hooker.

Sir Tom also used the occasion to pay a heartfelt tribute to his late wife Melinda Trenchard, who died in 2016.

He performed a touching rendition of Tomorrow Night, her "favourite" song from his 2015 album, Long Lost Suitcase.