The spirit of Madchester lives on in Aitch, who grew up in the New Moston suburb and told NME in a recent cover story that his forthcoming debut will â100,000 per cent be a proper Manchester album.â He’s absolutely madferrit on the Main Stage on the opening night at Reading Festival, bouncing through his cartoony, commercial rap with his hometownâs trademark braggadocio â indeed, an opening video montage depicts the 21-year-old flexing his big mouth on Capital Xtra, to whom he infamously proclaimed: âNo one younger than me is bothered about grime.”
Itâs a level of bolshiness that has kept Liam Gallagher, who headlines here tomorrow night, in the red tops for nearly three decades. Aitch strolls out tonight in a psychedelic tracksuit that looks like itâs been graffitied with its melting smiley faces, before he shellshocks the audience with an opening blast of the melodramatic banger âSafe To Sayâ: âToday, I ain’t move one muscle / I just made 60 racks in my sleep.â
The former part of that statement certainly doesnât apply to the audience, many of whom crowdsurf throughout the show as if theyâre literally outrunning the pandemicâs next wave  â one gleefully frontflips  over the barrier, as cartoony as Aitch himself. He ramps up the delirium when he grins, âReading, itâs been two fucking years since weâve been able to do stuff like thisâ, and later demands: âLetâs turn this place upside fucking down!”
âKeisha & Beckyâ, âLearning Curveâ, âTasteâ, âLatest Trendsâ: these are big, daft, horny pop-rap tunes about being young, dumb and full of freedom-canât-come-fast-enough spirit. AJ Tracey â Aitchâs own R Kid â bounds on in a black bomber jacket for their celebratory mega-smash âRainâ, and then they embrace, before the Manchester lad insists that the audience âmake some noiseâ for his close pal. AJ is the straight man in this duo; Aitch the cheeky chappie with an irresistibly naughty streak.

When heâs not inciting the audience to chant the âUFOâ lyrics, âYou ever had a millionaire eat your pussy?â, he announces that heâs âtrying to find a wife tonightâ. Itâs common for fans online to point out his likeness to fellow UK rapper ArrDee, and tonight he gets in on the joke with a guest appearance from the 18-year-old Brightonian, who paces the stage, topless, as he beams through his own randy remix of Russ and Tion Wayneâs massive hit âBodyâ. Â If Liam Gallagher remains the king of Manchester, Aitch is its goofy and giddy court jester.
Check back at NME all weekend for more reviews, news, interviews, photos and more from Reading & Leeds 2021.Â
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