While Lupe Fiasco was undoubtedly the star of the show last Tuesday night at Metro City, Adelaide four-piece Lowrider made plenty of new friends; the band’s smooth, soulful sound benefitting from the venue’s excellent sound system.

Several tracks from their sophomore release Diamond Amongst The Thieves got a workout, but the biggest crowd response was reserved for a medley at the end of set, which featured snippets of a Dave Matthews Band-inspired version of All Along The Watchtower, Amy Winehouse’s Rehab, Dr Dre’s Next Episode and the Bad Boys theme.

Phrase was next up on the support front, looking surprisingly well-attired for a hip-hop artist in a collared shirt as he performed alongside a DJ and a drummer. While Phrase didn’t get quite as vocal a response from the ever-increasing crowd as Lowrider, it was a solid and serviceable set. The man got the crowd fired up with a shout-out to triple j before finishing with the ever-popular Spaceship.

Looking ever bit the superstar as he enthusiastically bounded onto stage just a fraction after 10pm in slim-fitting jacket, sunglasses, gold chain and black gloves, Lupe Fiasco quickly drowned out the chants of “Lupe!” by getting straight down to business.

Backed by a DJ, a guitarist and one extremely powerful drummer, Lupe soon demonstrated the band’s tightness, with The Instrumental one of the main set’s early standouts. Much to their delight, Radiohead fans in the audience were then treated to some Lupe freestyle over the early bars of National Anthem.

Hip Hop Saved My Life soon had the crowd chanting along with Lupe, before a ferocious rock interlude showed Lupe was not afraid of things getting heavy. Finally pausing for a brief chat with the audience, Lupe expressed his delight at being back in Australia, before dedicating his cover of The Prodigy’s Girls to the ladies in the audience.

Kick, Push received rapturous applause from the audience, as Lupe demonstrated his well-honed dance moves to the song. Lupe’s new album, Lasers (the release of which continues to be shrouded in mystery) was then showcased over the course of a couple of tracks, punctuating a well-received rendition of The Cool.

Taking a seat on a conveniently placed stool onstage, Lupe then proceeded to slow things down with a new lo-fi number that he declared was just “days old”. But, seemingly content by track’s end that the audience had caught its collective breath, Lupe and the band ended the main set in style with a booming version of Superstar, which featured the majority of the audience on backing vocals.

In the two-song encore, Paris, Tokyo not only proved to be a crowd favourite, but also appropriate given the whirlwind nature of Lupe’s stay in Australia. Closing the night with Daydreamin’ then required a couple of attempts, Lupe muffing the first attempt by jumping straight to the second verse of the track. But full credit must go to Lupe for quickly realising the error and insisting on a re-run.

A quick reference to the bi-coastal rivalry in Australia distracted the fans from the hiccup, as the band got ready for another go. The second time through it was all smooth sailing, as Lupe and the band delivered a dynamite Daydreamin’ that left a smile on practically every punter’s face. If only Tuesday night in Perth was always so packed full of entertainment.