Petite Noir, The Old Blue Last, London

First glimpses are often fleeting and insignificant when you’re out seeing a new band play live for the first time. You’re mostly standing there trying to imagine the act playing in greater surroundings - festival stages, television studios - rather than simply absorbing all that’s going on in front of you.

But you can’t help but watch on in wonder as Yannick Ilunga aka. Petite Noir takes his baby step as a live performer. The South African musician leaves the crowd entranced and intoxicated; in thrall to his commanding performance. Sure, his height helps, as does the black leather jacket draped across his back. He’s the coolest looking guy in the venue. But he also somehow manages to lure you in, belting out every standalone lyric like they’re his last words. Head raised towards the ceiling, his style can’t help but remind you of Tunde Abebimpe of TV On The Radio, a performer for whom Iluga’s already received countless comparisons.

It seems cruel to even think back to warm-up act SWIM because what was once a fairly middling performance with hints of great things to come ends up collapsing into complete insignificance. SWIM are yet another band proudly sporting catchy tropical pop. They could be a brilliant band. And while they could benefit from the energy of an Ed Macfarlane-style frontman, their nerves on this early career show are carefully shrouded by an onslaught of hooks and tightly-wound structures.

As part of any other show, they’d serve up as a perfect taster of a headline act. But in this Bad Life showcase - the two acts share management - they’re forgotten almost as soon as Ilunga takes to the stage. “You might know this one”, he claims before ‘Till We Ghosts’, as if he’s a world-renowned celebrity. But as much as you want to laugh it all off, you can’t help sensing that those words will be repeated in years to come, to audiences a hundred times the size of those squeezing into the Old Blue Last. If this had been a veteran performance we’d have left impressed. For the sheer fact that it’s his debut show worldwide, you’re merely left begging for more.