Lily Allen & La Roux, Leeds Academy

We have by now all seen and heard La Roux. With a look as distinctive as her voice (which is as solid live as on record, hitting the high notes with ease), she is destined to help form your memories of this Summer – due in no small part to the major PR backing she’s currently receiving but bizarrely more likely due to a remix by Skream, dubstep DJ extraordinaire who has thus far remained on the outside of popular culture, banished to only the most fervent of electronic music fans. His (frankly sublime) remix of ‘In For The Kill’ has boosted both his and her profile significantly and it is the original of this with which she opens her support slot. With this surprising opener, the rest of the set is left for her to introduce her music to an audience largely unfamiliar with her. Her 80s aping synth led electro breezes by in a whirl of tempo changes, machine led drum patterns & loops, build ups & breakdowns. Backed by a three piece, ‘Metal Toy’s feverish intro and pounding back beat is the most upbeat, high tempo song she performs and is a highlight along with next single (and closer) ‘Bulletproof’. Her voice deepens for this song, an unexpected move but one which is adapted to suit the melody within the chorus, the refrain This time baby, I’ve been bulletproof swirling around the mind after she has finished and likely to match the success of ‘IFTK’. The main detractor from her songs is La Roux herself though: she looks disinterested and bored, barely moving through the 20 minute slot. This possible attempt at scenester cool may have worked in a headline slot but when directly before Lily Allen’s exuberant set, it makes her look lazy and ungrateful.

The confidence in the new album is apparent, with the first three tracks all coming from ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’. She’s a smart woman though is Lily and any potential alienation this may cause is directly removed within about 0.3 seconds of her crowd pandering cover of Kaiser Chiefs ‘Oh My God’. After that? Well, the crowd are putty in her hands. First album highlight (seriously, how was it not a single?) ‘Everything’s Just Wonderful’ follows, her backing bands (stolen from the Streets) presence felt as its beefed up for the live show, the vocals strengthened by the volume and added dimensions given to the song. More second album songs (including ‘Who You Know’) are debuted before a hugely energetic ‘LDN’. Again, the strength of the backing band means Lily can focus on entertaining the crowd rather than ensuring her vocals match those on the album. So while she may not be pitch perfect, she is hugely endearing as she dances harder than anyone in the crowd. Taking a few leaves out of the hip hop live show book, inclusions of ‘Dance Wiv Me’ and ‘Day N Nite’ mini covers keep the crowd on side, completing the ‘party’ feel of tonight’s performance. An unexpected acoustic performance of ‘He Wasn’t There’ really showcases the strength of not only her songs, the quality of the craft and hook more noticeable but also of her voice. Any thoughts of a Kylie-esque vocal performance (ie dire) are banished with this song: she really does have a good set of chords.

The encore consists of ‘Smile’ with a drum&bass breakdown halfway through testing the speakers of the Academy, the bass drilling at peoples feet and ribs like a really, really coked up Woody Woodpecker. Recent no1 ‘The Fear’ follows, its glossy electro shimmer and breathy, Gainsbourgesque vocals the calm after yet at the same time before the storm as the final song is her cover of Britney Spears ‘Womanizer’. It’s FILTH. Even sleazier than the original, she winds and grinds her way through it and the band put their all into making it as grimy as possible, squalid synths and funky basslines making the aural beast with two backs. It’s a brilliant end and as Lily states “Leeds, it’s GOOD to be back” you can tell she bloody means it.

La Roux: 6/10
Lily Allen: 8/10