It was a reasonable sized crowd that ventured through the cold and wet to the O2 academy on Saturday night, a good percentage of whom were too young for the bar and packed as close to the stage as possible, eager to meet with the N-Dubz star’s immediate presence.

Before Dappy’s first solo performance in Oxford, we are cheerily welcomed by Cover Drive (pictured), a four-piece pop act from Barbados. Amanda, the group’s eye-candy and singer, has compared their sound to a pack of Starburst. I can accept the analogy to the extent that the songs are enjoyable and candy-like but lack ingenuity.

After a cover of J-Lo’s Into You, the band play their new single Twilight, which is sure to follow the success of their first release Lik Ya Down, owing to the sing-along melody and Amanda’s Caribbean vocals (it’s not a song for those who appreciate inventive lyrics).

The atmosphere is significantly heightened as Dappy leaps on to the stage with some impressive rap skills and an elevating energy. The crowd bounce through recognisable hits Like A Spaceship (originally with Tinchy Stryder) and Playing With Fire (N-Dubz), while Dappy maintains his initial vitality. The London artist’s upcoming single, Rockstar, receives an ample response from the crowd, its rapped verses and catchy chorus a close relation to his chart-topping single No Regrets.

The high spot of the performance is Number One, an R & B anthem of summer 2009. Certain set-finisher No Regrets proceeds to stimulate the crowd, but after 40 minutes was this the end? Disappointedly so and, despite his previously repeating the line “I’m living like a rock star”, there was no hint of an encore.

Perhaps it was an intentional, tantalising strategy, but Dappy fans were unquestionably left wanting more. This is to the credit of the few songs that were played, but more were needed to render the gig truly memorable.