Live Review: Banks, Tapz

New Zealand rising star Tapz is an inspired opening choice. Merging trap beats with dynamic rhymes and soothing vocals, there's a hint of American R&B artist Bryson Tiller about the is trap-soul creations. Despite an unresponsive crowd, Tapz powers through with a collection of hazy jams (Run Don't Run, Killa) plus a short cover of Rae Sremmurd's No Type, which illustrates why Tapz scored a deal with Kanye West's GOOD Music label.

Banks is almost half an hour late to the stage so the bar gets a good working over, resulting in a surprising number of people being escorted out before the Orange County native even takes the stage. When she finally does arrive, cloaked in a dark shawl and accompanied by two dancers with some impressive interpretative skills, Banks delivers an hour of soul-quenching tunes anchored by her yearning vocals and hypnotic stage presence, although the punter eviction rate is still high.

Wearing dark, oversized clothing, Banks appears to tower over her dancers, dominating the stage as she serenades with her spectral vocal talent. There's mysticism surrounding Banks as she weaves her way across the stage, occasionally kneeling to touch the hands of fans to convince them that what they are seeing is real and not magic. Tracks from last year's The Altar dominate the early part of her set. Poltergeist, Mind Games, Gemini Feed and Trainwreck are all highlights, with the haunting pop of Fuck With Myself and down-tempo Judas also getting a look in. When Banks delves into tracks from her debut record Goddess, she receives the biggest cheers of the evening. The chugging Waiting Game is dark R&B at its best and Drowning turns into a glitchy missile of future-pop energy. Banks tells the audience to put their phones away for the soulful ballad Brain and gets her way for at least the first verse.

Similar to the way FKA Twigs incorporates a visual element to her performance, Banks offers more than just a singer reciting her material. Throughout the night the stage is illuminated by a multitude of coloured lights with the spotlight often focusing on Banks, front and centre. Banks and her back-up dancers perform mesmerising choreographed routines as her two-piece band (drums/guitar/keyboards) bring her arrangements to life, making the visual side of things just as important to her performance as the music itself. This Is What It Feels Like is dedicated to "anyone that's been here since day one" before final songs Beggin For Thread and the euphoric Haunt lead to the inevitable encore, a striking version of the pulsating 27 Hours.