Shlomo/Martha Wainwright/Teddy... @SBC Review

Take one beatboxer, spice with a fiery princess of anti-folk and garnish with a British country singer. On paper its a recipe for disaster, but instead left a taste so sweet that it would leave Gordon Ramsay grin like Ronald McDonald. Since its summer makeover the South Bank Centre has garnered a reputation for forward-thinking curating that has included Hip Hop as Artists in Residence. Since gracing Foreign Beggars' beatboxer Shlomo with this honour he has been given remarkable free reign to create 'Music Through Unconventional Means'.

As we took our seats inside the crisp acoustics of Queen Elizabeth Hall, a rough cut short film rolled of Shlomo, Martha Wainwright and Teddy Thompson's rehearsals. It cleverly placed the audience as participatants in a long, unpredictable, improvised scene.

Shlomo strolled on apprensively to introduce Teddy Thompson, a melancholic country artist, who at times displayed a moving voice with depth and emotion. Other times Teddy veered towards, well, a bit dull. Shlomo followed for what can only be described as a total switch. Cutting a shy figure on an intimidating stage, he quickly impressed the crowd at the drop of a hall-shaking bassline. His routines are tightly woven, but what distinguishes him from the growing generation of beatboxers is the clarity of his delivery - from the deepest kicks, to rumbling bass (2 mics!) to the crispest snares. Things step up a gear as he begins toying with his loop sampler, deftly adding layers of his voice to construct an array of tunes. Impressively this included amen breaks, orchestral sections and even choral singing. This aural assault sped through Drum'n'Bass to Pop (Jackson Five's 'I Want You Back' was a highlight) with such originality and dexterity that it was dizzying - and occasionally dazzling.

Martha Wainwright had the uneviable task of following Shlomo. Well known as the long-suffering daughter of folk legend Loudon Wainwright III and sister of Rufus, Martha has succeeded in carving her own niche as a frank and raw singer-songwriter of exceptional talent. She is an edgy character whose scatty moments are interspersed with a barbed wit. A similar contradiction draws the audience into songs which are, on the surface, beautiful pieces. But digging beneath the surface reveals troubled - almost tormented - lyrics that resonate with raw emotion. This is most evident with 'Factory' and the brilliant 'Bloody Motherfucking Arsehole', which gets a rapturous reception for its beauty and vulnerability.

A buzz of anticipation fills the hall as Shlomo, Martha and Teddy nervously take to the stage together - there is a palpable sense that anything could happen. It began predictably enough with a pleasant Martha/Teddy folk duet. The spark ignited when Shlomo and Teddy combined on an unexpected cover of The Bangles' 'Walk Like An Egyptian'. Stripped down and pensive, the beatboxer added sparse beats and inventive samples to the guitar's eerie rift. The result was a thrillingly dark take on a pop classic.

As Ms Wainwright rejoined the fray alongside Shlomo, the show descended into pure improvisation. Thankfully the two display a chemistry that transcends the daunting setting. After some meandering Shlomo began layering loops for Martha to freestyle over, which she does with an innate sense of timing. To witness a folk singer perform so exposed creates a fascinating spectacle. After running this gauntlet Martha retreats back to her guitar, performing a track that switches up the chorus between her and Shlomo - essentially a duet between singer and chopped up breaks that works to great effect.

The improvisation continues as Martha, Teddy and the audience urge Shlomo into his first ever guitar/singing performance (Bob Dylan's 'Don't Think Twice'). What he lacked in voice and practice he made up for in sheer tenacity, which was duly rewarded by the crowd's heartfelt support. Even in this free-wheeling show it was refreshing to see the performers push themselves still further. It all culminated in a sparkling three-way rendition of Paul Simon's 'Me & Julio' that had an electrified crowd on their feet with applause. Hip Hop head or folkie, everyone understood that they had just witnessed a truly unique and remarkable show. Props to the South Bank.