The four producer-songwriters that make up the core of Rudimental have already proved their creative and commercial mettle - their debut album, Home, has spawned two No 1 singles and a Mercury Prize nomination.
Their problem is how to replicate that success without star vocalists such as Emeli Sande, John Newman and Angel Haze.
Live, Rudimental instead performs as a nine-piece band, including three guest vocalists, trumpet and a drummer who deserves a stage all of his own. The set-up gives them flexibility to switch between slow, soulful openings to full-on party jams. And the secret weapon? DJ Locksmith in the role of MC, whose energy is contagious.
Give You Up is a mellow, yet beat-heavy, start, until a hectic, house-inspired breakdown gets the party started - and Right Here, on which Ella Eyre takes lead vocals, continues the vibe. Spoons opens with a hilarious intro featuring Locksmith and a makeshift rhythm section tapping silverware, but Tom Jules' vocals lack the spark to give the track something special.
He makes up for that on Not Giving In, the night's standout track dedicated to Locksmith's three-year-old son. The song combines an emotional performance from Jules with an epic trumpet solo and another of those frantic breakdowns. It was Rudimental at their most skilled.
A version of this review appeared in later editions of yesterday's Herald.
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