Friday, 6 April 2012

LIVE REVIEW; LABRINTH, 4/3/12, UEA LCR

****

Ahead of the release of his debut album Electronic Earth, slated for release April 2nd, Labrinth paid a visit to a sold-out LCR on his first-ever UK tour. One of the most exciting new artists to come out of the UK in recent times, Labrinth is a self-taught singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist who first came to prominence in 2010 when he featured on Tinie Tempah's hit singles Pass Out and Frisky – already a producer of some repute, he burst onto the UK scene last year with the hugely popular solo effort Earthquake and has since gone from strength to strength.

Testament to the hype surrounding Labrinth as an artist, the gig was originally at the Waterfront but was upgraded to the LCR after the original listing sold out. So needless to say the excitement was palpable as the lights went down and he burst onto the stage into what was a vibrant and diverse show. A man clearly determined not to be pigeon-holed into any single genre, Labrinth's set consisted of a great number of styles, blending elements of dubstep, electronic and hip-hop/R'n'B with flashes of indie and rock. Alongside singles Let The Sun Shine and Last Time, we were treated to glimpses of the album with rockier numbers such as Sweet Riot, as well as acoustic track Vultures, one of the night's highlights. Mixing these up with partial covers of more well-known songs by Tinie Tempah, Professor Green and Ms. Dynamite, before bringing the evening to a close with an encore of Earthquake, he made sure the crowd was well-entertained.

Clearly a born performer, Labrinth showcased why he is currently one of the UK's most interesting exports – a very diverse talent, as well as a very down-to-earth man, who took time between songs to engage with and thank the crowd for all their support. With his album due in just over a month, it seems that his popularity can only increase, and on the strength of this show Labrinth is a man that will go a long way.

COPYRIGHT Thomas Castle, March 2012

*No, I don't just do rock and metal...

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