Loyle Carner, O2 Institute, Birmingham - review with pictures

On top of a Mercury Award nominated debut album, the 22-year-old runs a cooking school for kids with ADHD, is a connoisseur of the vintage football shirt and just an all round lovely guy.

Last night, the south London rapper, known formally as Mr Benjamin Coyle Larner, brought his Yesterday's Gone record to the O2 Institute in Birmingham.

This week he's been making headlines after offering guest list tickets to his fans on Twitter in return for an XL retro club shirt.

And it's fair to say it was a football affair in Digbeth with a giant red Carner 7 shirt gracing the stage's backdrop as the sold-out crowd waited in anticipation.

Album intro The Isle of Arran signalled the start of the show as Carner stormed on stage sporting Brazil's 2006/8 away shirt, of course.

As the song ended, he fulfilled his promise to fan Jack of swinging him a beer after a terrible few days at work – a true gent.

And with his late father's Eric Cantona shirt in hand, Carner didn't hesitate in treating the audience to the melodic sounds of Mean It In The Morning before the acapella +44.

Much of the album, which was released in January, was inspired and sampled by an album made by his dad, which Carner discovered after he passed away.

The likes of Seamstress and Damselfly, featuring musical partner Tom Misch, were stand-out moments before bashing through the lively Stars and Shards.

"She could be my little freckled-face fidgeter, me but miniature. Sleeping on the sofa 'till she tackles and I tickle her."

Next up was Florence – an ode to the sister he never had but always wanted.

Best friend and producer Rebel Kleff joined him on stage for No Worries as Carner finished with an impromptu freestyle to which he questions – "why doesn't anyone freestyle anymore?"

Highlights included Tierney Terrace and Ain't Nothing Changed before the self acclaimed mummy's boy treated us to the stunning final album track Sun of Jean, featuring his mother's own poem about her son.

"He was a scribble of a boy, all hair and mischief. A two-foot tale of trouble, the bee's knees." Well said, Mrs C.

The evening came to close with the brilliant NO CD as the crowd dispersed with the acoustic Yesterday's Gone blaring behind them.

As Carner put so himself, "Ain't Nothing Changed but the size of this stage."

He's certainly right and we can only expect it will get bigger with time.