Joanna Newsom with the London Symphony Orchestra

Last night saw absolutely indescribable anticipation take over one of the capital's most salubrious venues - the climax of a four-date UK tour by the creator of 2006's most applauded album, and the only night to feature the London Symphony Orchestra.

Alasdair Roberts had the unenviable job of opening for an audience impatiently awaiting the arrival of Joanna Newsom, but with a selection of songs from The Amber Gatherers, Roberts captured the audience's attention immediately, his angular frame belying the gentle and fragile beauty of his songs.

Thirty-minutes later, Joanna Newsom arrived on stage in a brown dress not dissimilar to the one she wears on the cover of Ys. Backed by the LSO, Joanna proceeded to chronologically play her way through Ys in its entirety. Emily, a song for her younger sister, was sharper and more vibrant than on record, while the immaculate Monkey And Bear was exactly as exquisite as the original, its Celtic roots highlighted by the soft vocal harmonies provided by Newsom's drummer.

Newsom unveiled superhuman strength and dexterity in negotiating her towering pedal harp for the ten-minute solo of Sawdust & Diamonds - allowing the orchestra some respite - and it became impossible to take my eyes off her, save for an occasional glance to check that the fat percussionist chewing his gum at the back of the stage still looked bored.

Bill Callahan took to the stage for Only Skin, waiting patiently for twelve minutes before delivering his four lines with baritone excellence. He and Newsom exchange a warm nod at the song's conclusion, his presence having helped detail the song's romantic exhilaration. The beautiful Cosmia followed, bringing the first half of the evening to a magical conclusion.

Newsom returned to the stage, alone this time, justifying her change of dress not as a "Christina Aguilera costume change", but a necessity due to the intensity of her performance. She re-starts with The Book Of Right On, before moving on to Sadie (renamed Sasha in dedication to a nine-year-old girl in the audience who was celebrating her birthday). Indicating her shared passion of Scottish folk with Alasdair Roberts, she then played a version of the Robert Burns poem, Ca' The Yowes To The Knowes.

Her guitarist and drummer came back out to play a new, unnamed song that couples Irish folk imagery with African rhythms - it was radically different from the rest of the evening's music and gives a unique insight into what her third album might sound like. After a delightful version of Crab, Clam, Cockle, Cowrie and another brief departure, we were blessed with a second encore: a bravura performance of Bridges And Balloons. The two-minute standing ovation she receives was the only predictable thing about the whole evening.