It underscored both London’s eccentricity as well as his confidence in indulging in electro- and R&B-influenced songs that blurred the line between rapping and singing, a la Gnarls Barkley. His bright, catchy single “I Stand Alone’’ showed the great potential London has when lyrical and musical visions are in synch. “Going Overseas’’ was another highlight, showcasing his delivery over a plush R&B instrumental.
On the other hand, the repetitive “Girls Girls $’’ underscored the thin line between a hit song and lazy, uninspired filler. London’s positive buzz may have landed him the plum job of opening for Fiasco, but it’s hard to gauge after this performance if he can translate his good start into a lasting career.
Fiasco inspired similar questions early in his career, but his ambition and maturity can no longer be disputed after five years and three well-received albums. That ambition was reflected in his personnel, as Fiasco, minus a hype man, was backed by a full band, including a trio of female singers. They added sonic depth to “I Don’t Want to Care Right Now’’ and “Out of My Head,’’ two club-ready tracks from Fiasco’s latest and most pop-oriented release, “Lasers.’’
After impressing during his abbreviated set at Summer Jam in June, Lupe clearly enjoyed having the spotlight to himself, climbing speakers to deliver verses and spraying the crowd from a water bottle while bounding across the stage.
However, high energy can’t always compensate for mediocre songwriting. As the show approached its conclusion, Fiasco and his band’s breathless enthusiasm was wasted on some redundant cuts.
But more memorable than any song was Lupe’s brief political ramble toward the end of the show, in which he asked for a moment of silence for victims of Sept. 11, then subsequently offered condolences to fallen “insurgents’’ in the Middle East and branded President Obama a “terrorist’’ as a bemused crowd looked on.
“I’m not political, I just speak my mind,’’ Fiasco said, though he might consider thinking a bit more before doing so next time.
Martín Caballero can be reached at caballeroglobe@gmail.com.
