Gig review: Cher Lloyd, Glasgow Academy

LET’S face it; it’s almost too easy to dislike Cher Lloyd. To many, she is simply another irritating, talentless hack churned out by the X Factor misery machine.

But to the excitable 1,000+ crowd uncomfortably wedged into the Academy, she is a chart-topping sensation whose TV fame and nationwide success make her a hot ticket. Whatever you think of the actual tunes though, it made for an intoxicating atmosphere.

As the lights dimmed, the crowd rumbled with anticipation, before the opening drones of Dub on the track announced Lloyd’s arrival to an expectedly ear-piercing shriek.

It was perhaps more exciting than the entrance itself, however, which seemed tepid and lazy in comparison.

One might expect someone who is being so easily met with such high levels of adoration to go all out and reduce the place to rubble, but sadly, and for whatever reason, Lloyd failed to show any real effort to work the crowd musically, though it was doubtless she was enjoying herself.

As she sauntered from one end to the other, fleshing out her treks with occasional sways and mildly choreographed “moves”, Lloyd set a steady but altogether mundane pace for the rest of the show.

However, as she held numerous lung-busting notes without cracking, and did her best rap impression, it became apparent that, in between the Twitter shout-outs or the half hour of needless covers, she might not be completely talentless, but simply running before she can walk.

Rating: **