Given her increasing status over the last couple of years as a world leader in pop, it was hard to believe that Charli XCX was on her first tour of the UK.
Awaiting her arrival onstage, the surges from a crowd wearing Victoria Beckham's wardrobe circa 1999 were as fervent as those found at the front of a Pixies gig, hundreds of ears primed for the apolitical punk confection of the London Queen.
Stomping onto Concorde 2's neat stage with her glittery be-winged "angels" (geddit?!) Charli opened with current hymn to the joys of rebuffal and lead track from the album of the same name Sucker, encouraging us to give the finger to some vague space in the auditorium while shouting along with the profane chorus.
It was exhilarating stuff from a sassy performer, whose delivery and posturing evoked nostalgia for 1990s acts Republica and Shampoo.
Aesthetics and import aside, Charli gave an impressive performance, her voice clearly capable and attitude authentically outraged, particularly during stamp-alongs Break The Rules and Boom-Clap.
An otherwise invigorating show was marred only by forgettable balladeering – her strength and vitality during call-to-action tracks are what give her the zeitgeist appeal of a true pop icon.
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