hit40uk

Review: NERD live in London

Koko in London plays host to the iTunes Festival for the whole of July, with the opening night seeing the venue taken over by three acts from the ultra hip Star Trak label.

Recent signings Chester French are first on stage with their uplifting genre straddling pop. Dressed in a natty white jacket, front man D.A. Wallach looks like he's swallowed a book or two on showmanship and for a band virtually unheard of over here, they have the audience eating out the palm of their hands. Things take a slightly surreal twist when they indulge in an instrumental medley of chart hits, including Amerie and Daft Punk. Hey, it all adds to their quirky charm…

Next up, fresh from his appearance at Glastonbury with the ubiquitous Mark Ronson, is Kenna with his smooth blend of funk and epic rock. With songs like 'Say Goodbye To Love' and 'Out of Control' it's genuine mystery why he's not a permanent fixture in the charts. It's only a matter of time before people wake up and appreciate what they're missing out on.

Over an hour late, headliners N*E*R*D finally take to the stage, with Pharrell making a strange sight in a fetching SpongeBob SquarePants tee. With a tight backing band, Pharrell, Chad and Shay play out all their hits in a gloriously sleazy set drawn heavily from their classic debut album.

When they launch in to the colossal 'Lapdance', they bring the house down – the whole place erupts into a wild mess of flailing limbs and the stage is swamped by rabid fans.

Way past the curfew, Pharrell announces "We're probably going to be fined tonight. I promise there's going to be a riot if everyone get's kicked out" before performing recent hit 'Everybody Nose'. Thankfully, no one was kicked out and we're treated to a finale of 'She Wants To Move'. Pharrell is in his element – top off and surrounded by girls - before the band segue into the White Stripes 'Seven Nation Army' bringing the night to an end and leaving everyone in the room breathless.

A fantastic start to the festival, reminding everyone what a thrilling live proposition they are, N*E*R*D have set the bar high.

Marv Hills