He's been ignored by this week's Brit Awards, but Dizzee Rascal certainly isn't lacking mainstream appeal.

Plenty of middle-aged fans actually witnessed this return from the 22-year-old rapper Dylan Mills. Which is surprising because my general experience of grime and UK hip-hop has been that it's only really listened to on snazzy mobile phones by surly youths at bus stops.

Of course, the former Mercury Prize-winner's music deserves wide appeal. But the opening 20 minutes of this NME Awards Show was just exhausting, with its rapid-fire bursts from I Luv U and Paranoid. Formidable, yes, but never quite enjoyable.

Dizzee described that as just "getting warmed up", and this performance with DJ Semtex and MC Scope was full of pumped-up aggression.

That was evident in his uncompromising vocal delivery and jabbing hand movements.

However, his fervency wasn't matched by the show's unambitious production. It was, essentially, a few blokes ambling around on stage while Dizzee's videos played on a giant screen.

There was further disappointment when Dizzee told us - rather misleadingly - to "make some noise for the Arctic Monkeys", whose singer Alex Turner appears on Temptation.

But we only got his guest vocal on tape, while Dizzee performed in front of a ropy picture of himself with the band, presumably taken on his own snazzy mobile phone.

Still, Dizzee has delivered three albums of memorable urban tunes and the cracking beats and angry rhymes took hold of the crowd.

The defiant, anti-police single Sirens was relentless, while the deep bass of Fix Up, Look Sharp and Stand Up Tall meant this was music you felt as much as heard.

Sadly, Dizzee then unveiled a soulful disco collaboration with Calvin Harris for his encore. But he's such a talented, original artist, you can forgive his occasional musical mishaps.