Steve Lacy is only 21 years old, but as he stood on stage at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town, the weight of what he’s achieved in his career thus far was overwhelming. Lacy is only just getting started, but within the indie R&B/hip-hop scene he is prolific. Steve is the lead guitarist from Odd Future spin-off group The Internet, but his solo EP entitled ‘Steve Lacy’s Demo Tape’ caught international attention and praise, for his catchy and endearing pop tunes (all recorded on his phone).

Now, two years later, Steve Lacy is headlining his first solo show in London, following the release of his debut album Apollo XXI earlier this year. Upon entry to the show we’re informed that the artist has requested limited use of phones during the performance. Obviously this isn’t adhered to by all, so occasionally throughout the night Steve will pause and ask for nobody to record certain songs to keep a bit of the magic and intimacy in the evening.

Big hits like ‘Playground’ and ‘N Side’ are all briefly filmed by the crowd, myself included, but it felt as though nobody wanted to be ‘that guy’, so for most of the night recording the gig took a back seat, which was nice to see.

I really wasn’t too sure what I thought of Apollo XXI when I first listened to the project and was uncertain how it would feel in a live setting. The album had felt a bit cluttered and messy in parts, caused by decisions like having the 9 minute track, ‘Like Me‘, as the second song on the album.

I can safely say that Lacy might be the first artist I’ve seen live to perform his whole album in full from front to back. Something which I would have been a bit hesitant about if I’d have known in advance of the show, but the gig really changed my perception of the album. Lacy didn’t miss a single track, played guitar, bass and even had time for an outfit change during the play through (swapping his matching pink shirt and chinos for a green and black leather jumpsuit).

The songs felt so much more personal and energetic in a live setting, definitely helping me see the project in a different light. After finishing his play through of the album with final track ‘Outro Freestyle/4ever‘, Lacy chatted with the crowd, expressing his gratitude for the support he’d received thus far in his career. He started tearing up after being met with a rapturous ovation as he announced his grammy nomination for Apollo XXI, which was a really endearing moment.

Before the set ended, Lacy played the biggest hits from his Demo Tape, ‘Some‘ and ‘Dark Red‘ much to the enjoyment of the crowd, as well as teasing a new release ‘Jean Jack It‘, which I’d best describe as a fun attempt at a rap track – not something to be taken too seriously or a real change in direction from the singer.

Lacy proved himself a real showman and without any doubt the 21 year old has a strong future ahead of him as a solo artist, if he ever decides to split off permanently from his group The Internet.