A sold-out room, a surprise guest, and Black British Music brought to life: Jim Legxacy’s rise is undeniable.

Jim Legxacy’s headline night at EartH felt like a culmination of his well-deserved rise throughout 2025. Having already played shows in Birmingham and Bristol earlier this week, last night’s performance was something of a homecoming for the new king, staged in one of London’s most intimate yet iconic venues. Just north of his hometown Lewisham, Hackney was littered with Union Jack flags for the right reasons, as a crowd of around 700 packed into the former cinema. Anticipation was rife for a night that blended nuance, new sounds and nostalgia. Not to mention, a surprise guest who turned a small room into a stadium.

Arriving at EartH, the queue stretched endlessly, a clear indicator of Jim’s growing popularity over the past year. The venue’s intimacy only heightened the atmosphere, every inch filled with fans eager for what was to come. Before Jim took the stage, dexter in the newsagent set the tone as opener. Sporting a 2010 England Away shirt in keeping with the ‘bbm’ (Black British Music) theme, she delivered a strong set that included ‘Special’, ‘Eighteen’, and a preview of a track from her upcoming album. Crowd interaction came naturally, with energy flowing both ways. She even capped things off with a playful moment: snapping a photo of the audience on her MacBook. It was a warm, memorable start that perfectly set the stage.

Though arriving more than twenty minutes late, Jim wasted no time making up for it. Emerging in a blue puffer, he launched straight into stick, one of the crown jewels of ‘Black British Music’ and easily one of the best tracks to come out of the UK this year. The crowd erupted instantly, and the energy only built from there as he moved into ‘sos’ and ‘d.b.a.b’, two more cuts from bbm, which had the entire room bouncing. After a false start, Jim shifted gears with the slower, more reflective ‘dj’, reminding everyone of his ability to balance vulnerability with explosive energy.

From there, the setlist leaned into fan favourites. Despite being pulled from streaming services, ‘candy reign(!)’ made its expected appearance. In turn, the crowd responded as though it had never left, voices echoing every line. The energy carried seamlessly into ‘Issues of Trust’, another ‘bbm’ deep cut, before Jim gave fans one of the most anticipated moments of the night: ‘‘06 wayne rooney’. With vintage Manchester United shirts dotting the crowd, it became a communal celebration as much as a performance, tying together football culture and music in true Jim Legxacy style.

Jim wasn’t alone for long. Dexter rejoined him on stage for ‘dexters phone call’, one of the standout songs from bbm, where their back-and-forth lyrics about depression, friendship, and growth hit even harder in a live setting. The energy soared again with father, the track that arguably cemented Jim’sbreakthrough this year, before the biggest surprise of the night arrived. As the opening notes of 3xrang out, the venue erupted when Dave eventually walked on stage. Though his arm was in a sling, it didn’t stop him from showing up for one of the most exciting young artists in the UK. In a space as small as EartH, the moment felt global in size, as though the walls could barely contain the weight of the collaboration. It was the highlight of the night, a crowning moment that underlined Jim’s growing place in UK music.

The energy never dipped, from the first note to the last, and the crowd carried Jim the entire way. Jim Legxacy deserves every single flower he has been receiving in 2025. Born and raised in London, this show felt like a true welcome home for an artist whose whole career is still ahead of him. Only a few years ago, Jim was homeless, and now he is performing sold-out shows in his hometown. His idiosyncratic qualities as a vocalist set him apart from his contemporaries, and last night’s performance was a testament to his vision. More than just a concert, it was a celebration of Black British Music, with both Jim and Dexter proving themselves as champions of a sound that feels vital, fresh, and unequivocally theirs.

Words by Alex Peters