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Live Review: Ava Leigh & Lupe Fiasco

It’s all about good vibes on this balmy summer evening in the grand surroundings of Somerset House in Central London.

Ava Leigh looks and sounds like she could be an American Idol winner, so it’s a surprise to hear her plummy Cheshire accent. Kicking off with a cover of “Mas Que Nada”, it’s easy to see her as the UK’s answer to Fergie. Her emotive voice fits effortlessly with the mix of soul and reggae, from eco-ballad “Breathe” to the lovers rock of first single “Mad About The Boy”.

Lupe Fiasco steps out from behind his geek chic image of Star Wars-obsessed skate kid, dressed for the occasion in a three-piece suit. Like Kanye West , his conscious hip-hop blends old-school soul hooks with lyrics about staying true to your roots.

He drops “Daydreamin’” and skate classic “Kick Push” early, as if to show that there’s only more good stuff to come. The energy doesn’t drop for a second as he moves from the double-quick rhymes of “Go Go Gadget Flow” to “Paris, Tokyo”’s chilled piano loops.

Hip-hop gigs are often cursed with terrible sound, but tonight’s is impeccable, with every instrument and sample crystal clear. Over it all, Lupe’s razor-sharp flow is breathlessly dazzling. This is most evident on a stunning, a capella “The Coolest”, where he ducks and weaves round the lines like a prize fighter.

And so to the moment everyone’s been waiting for - set-closer “Superstar”. Lupe punches his fist to punctuate lines and high-jumps through the now-legendary chorus, and as the band build it into an extended jam, Lupe and singers Matthew Santos and Sarah Green deliver their final lines collapsed on the floor, having given it their all.

At a time when hip-hop needs to reinvent to survive, Lupe Fiasco showed he’s ready to lead the new school.

Alex Cottrill