Kanye West closes Wireless festival with crystal-themed show

He's joined by topless dancers at Hyde Park gig

Kanye West headlined the second and final day of London‘s Wireless festival last night (July 5).

Playing to a near-capacity crowd in the capital’s Hyde Park, the Atlanta, Georgia star treated the audience to a hit-laden set that saw him perform on a stage decked out with white pyramid and crystal-shaped monitors and amplifiers.

Wearing his customary aviator shades and black suit jacket throughout the performance, West kicked-off proceedings by playing ‘Coldest Winter’ from latest album ‘808s & Heartbreak’ (2008).

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Although he wasn’t joined by any musical guests during the show, West showcased several of his best-loved collaborations, including ‘American Boy’ (originally released with Estelle) and ‘Gold Digger’ (released as a collaboration with Jamie Foxx). He introduced the latter track by saying: “This is the story of my life.”

During ‘Tell Everybody That You Know’, four topless dancers wearing tiaras and body paint joined the rapper-producer, crowding around him while he performed the song on a raised section of the stage. They remained onstage for the duration of the set, dancing alongside West as he sang a medley of hits that included crowd favourites ‘Diamonds From Sierra Leone’, and ‘Jesus Walks’.

Speaking to the audience, West hailed ‘Say You Will’ his favourite track on ‘808s & Heartbreak’ before delivering an impassioned version of the song. Later in the set, he performed an extended version of ‘Love Lockdown’ that saw the track take a dancier, more beat-heavy direction, much to the crowd’s delight.

After finishing final track ‘Stronger’, West bowed to the audience before saying he “loved” them and exiting the stage.

Kanye West played:

‘Coldest Winter’
‘Paranoid’
‘Peace’
‘Homecoming’
‘Touch The Sky’
‘All Falls Down’
‘Keep The Receipt’
‘Tell Everybody That You Know’
‘It’s Amazing’
‘Can’t Tell Me Nothing’
‘Say You Will’
‘Diamonds From Sierra Leone’
‘Jesus Walks’
‘Gold Digger’
‘American Boy’
‘Good Life’
‘Heartless’
‘Love Lockdown’
‘Stronger’

Earlier in the day, West protégé Mr Hudson played to a packed out Tuborg Stage, with many fans crowding the relatively small tent to find out exactly why the hip-hop superstar has signed the British band, led by Ben Hudson, to his G.O.O.D. Music label.

Hudson played tracks including the unreleased ‘White Lies’ (which features on their forthcoming West co-produced album ‘Straight No Chaser’) and ‘Ask The DJ’, both of which drew positive responses from crowd members.

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Throughout the set, fans chanted “Oh Hudson, we love you,” at the frontman, who at one point remarked: “Thanks for the football chants, I think. You’re all sounding very good!”

Elsewhere, Calvin Harris played a ten-song set on the festival’s Main Stage. The Scottish producer-singer performed material ranging from his two recorded albums (the second of which, ‘Ready For The Weekend’ is released on August 17), and gave numerous shout-outs to the Hyde Park crowd.

During ‘The Girls’, he changed the lyrics to “I like those Wireless girls“, resulting in mass cheers from the audience. The singer’s recent UK Number One single ‘I’m Not Alone’ also garnered ecstatic reactions from the crowd, while ‘Merrymaking At My Place’ and ‘Acceptable In The 80’s’ saw many fans sing along.

Playing a mid-afternoon set, Noisettes got the Main Stage crowd moving when they played hits including ‘Don’t Upset The Rhythm’ and ‘Saturday Night’, while ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ winners Diversity also put in an appearance, much to the crowd’s delight. The 11-strong dance troupe performed the same routine that won them the talent show in May.

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