The halls at B.B. King’s were decked with holly, Love and a very hot band when Darlene Love worked her Christmas magic on an SRO crowd. Looking fit and decades younger than the 72 years she lays claim to, Love shook her curls and her tail feathers, and delivered her hits.

Grey-suited upper-management types bopped to “Winter Wonderland,” and came out of their seats for “He’s A Rebel.” As Love herself predicts in her upcoming Elmore interview, it was a rousing gospel tune that engaged the audience as much as anything in her show; you haven’t fully experienced Darlene Love until you’ve seen a CFO set aside a toothsome plate of salmon to testify during “Marvelous” at a Times Square nightclub.

Love announced that the film 20 Feet From Stardom, about herself and other backup singers, had made another cut for an Academy Award for Best Documentary, the list now down to 15 choices. David Letterman’s favorite, “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)” had even Love’s own soundman dancing, and he hears It every show. She’ll be on The Late Show with David Letterman, as always, this year, at B.B. King’s again on Friday, December 20th, and on tour until January. Hallelujah!

– Suzanne Cadgene