Kanye feel it?

It's not often a six-time Grammy award-winning hip hop artist comes to Hong Kong, especially one backed by a string orchestra. So when Kanye West came on stage at the West Kowloon Outdoor Drive-In on Tuesday night, the crowd gave a roar of excitement.

Wearing a loose grey suit, white sneakers and aviator sunglasses, he looked every bit the flamboyant and elegantly attired rapper fans had been expecting.

Backed by all-female members of the Hong Kong Orchestra, West played his hits, and what he described as lesser, but personally favourite, tracks.

His lyrics are eccentric and amusing; his 2005 hit, Gold Digger, being a perfect example. The song was the show's highlight. The crowd shared the lyrics, shook some booty and thanked West with rapturous applause. Other crowd-pleasers were Diamonds from Sierra Leone and Hey Mama.

Tuesday's concert was the only Asian stop on his Touch the Sky world tour, and the outdoor site did indeed give fans a chance to raise their arms to the heavens.

While the drive-in made a refreshing change to Hong Kong's stiff performance venues, the space gave the impression the crowd was less significant than it was. A smaller venue would have made the experience more intimate. But fans did their best to dent the nippy seaside air with their cheers.