With the threat of lightning storms and local curfews looming, it looked like Loyle Carner’s (website here) debut in Halifax would be pulled at the last minute. Even half an hour before the hip-hop star was due to hit the stage, fans were being herded away from metal barriers as flashes of lightning illuminated the surrounding hills. Thankfully, though, just a mere twenty minutes after his listed stage time, Carner appeared on stage and delivered what can only be described as a masterclass in soulful hip-hop to a sold-out crowd. Taking to the stage, Carner is almost lost for words at the sight of a packed-out courtyard at The Piece Hall, a location which has seen many iconic acts grace the very stage Carner was on. Blazing through “Hate,” “Plastic,” and “Ain’t Nothing Changed,” Carner spot...