Awkwardly negotiating a microphone and a guitar as he sits at a keyboard, Mark Ronson has a confession to make. "Sorry," says the UK-born, NYC-bred producer, with only the slightest transatlantic twang. "I'm not really a rock star."
You might be forgiven for thinking otherwise. Having given both Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse's albums his golden touch, Ronson has transformed from hip-hop DJ to pop celebrity; to celebrate his star-dusted covers album, Versions, he's out of the studio and on stage.
Ronson's trademark sound is indebted to 1960s Stax and Motown and his show has the feel of an old soul revue. Backed by an eight-strong band wearing black T-shirts bearing their names, he kicks off with Inversion, from his 2003 debut, Here Comes the Fuzz, before the fun-filled funk of God Put a Smile Upon Your Face turns the place into an indie disco. "We're going to have a lot of friends here tonight," says Ronson, every bit the businessman in a crisp white shirt.
But with his hip-hop pals and pop princesses in America, the guest-star list is a little low on charisma. Daniel Merriweather and US rapper Wale are less Toxic than dull on the Britney hit, but Merriweather wrings every drop of drama from Stop Me and Wale makes the most of a euphoric Ooh Wee. Phantom Planet's Alex Greenwald turns in an overwrought take on Just, while opportunistically playing two of his own songs.
Of the girls, Santo Gold is bouncy, and Talia, who sings both Allen and Winehouse's tracks, is bold, her big soul voice the only one to stand up to the horns. But this is Ronson's night, and the Jazzie B of the noughties is savouring every moment. "I'm the luckiest motherfucker in the world," he says. He might just be right.
· At Loch Ness Rockness Festival (0870 169 0100) on June 10. Then touring.
