After a miserable May, Saturday's scorching weather was as refreshing as a lemon Slush Puppie shower.

In the warm evening Brighton had rarely looked better and it was a wrench to turn our backs on the coast and walk inside the cool, dark interior of the Dome.

Fortunately we were there to see Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and the photogenic beauty present outside the theatre was matched aurally on stage.

In a remarkable career spanning more than 40 years, Joseph Shabalala and his group have brought the traditional Zulu music of Isicathamiya to a global audience. It is easy to see why the sound has captured so many hearts; allowed Paul Simon to produce such a special record in Graceland; and helped sell so many tins of baked beans Contained within the pitch-perfect harmonies, rhythmic baritones and occasional bursts of falsetto, are the very foundations of modern pop music.

Unsurprisingly for something which was forged in the desperately harsh conditions of South African mines, Ladysmith's songs often seem to express profound heartache and pain. So it's a slight shock to hear these same techniques applied to a cheeky love song, which allowed Ladysmith to show off their humour and the diversity of their styles.

I had six of the best weeks of my life in South Africa, finding the scenery breathtaking and the people incredibly hospitable.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo were a fantastic reminder of that wonderful country.