More than just rap – J.I.D. at Aviva Studios is an experience.

There are shows you attend and then there are shows that really touch you. J.I.D’s show at Factory International the other night was definitely one of those. It was a performance that stuck with you long after the lights came on. It wasn’t a rapper on a stage, it was a full experience with great energy, charisma and sharp lyrics.

MICK JENKINS

Before J.I.D even started, Mick Jenkins took to the stage and set the mood with a performance that felt like a statement. He walked out calmly with a confidence that didn’t need moves or a huge spectacle. His voice and message carried well in the room and people listened. People who were chatting with one another suddenly stopped. They listened carefully, nodded along to the verses. Mick has a way of performing where he doesn’t rush; he lets the crowd join in. They did.  It is always really nice to see openers interacting with the fans like their own and fans giving them the same energy back. By the time he finished the energy in the room was high. He handed over to J.I.D like passing a torch.

Factory International itself added to the excitement. The space was quiet and industrial before the show like a warehouse holding its breath. The crowd came in with that restless Manchester energy. A mix of excitement and impatience. You could feel the music vibrating through the floor and the anticipation that came from the audience. Everyone knew they were about to see someone very special, and a performance that they will remember for a long time.

J.I.D

When the lights dropped the room roared with excitement. Everyone cheered, excited to see J.I.D take centre stage and to see the person who everyone has come here for. It wasn’t long before J.I.D burst onto the stage like he was ready to go. The first song hit hard and the audience were loving it. They were eating up everything he said, singing every word back to him and dancing to the beat.

J.I.D moved with lots of energy bouncing around the stage never losing breath or precision. The setlist felt like a story, we were jumping back to some of his earlier music alongside his newer stuff. The early songs were fast and sharp, it was nice J.I.D recognising some of his earlier fans in the audience and dedicating the earlier songs to them. I think that is one of the reasons why J.I.D has dedicated fans especially from the beginning of his career, he does not forget them. It was nice he was shifting between the old and new songs throughout his set and blending the songs together seamlessly.

BREATHE & PROCESS

Between each song he lets the music settle, allowed the crowd to breathe and processes what they have listened to. I think that help to make the night feel more special for these fans allowing them a moment to breathe in this excitement, and once it settled, he switched up the energy and the fans immediately were back to it.

The crowd was loud and into it. Manchester crowds are known for being rowdy but this felt precise. People weren’t just shouting, they were matching his rhythms, singing in time and dancing on beat. The room felt like a eruption at some moments, everyone jumping and dancing together and moshing with one another. For Surround Sound that was where the energy was at it’s peak. Before the song started J.I.D made sure the audience were looking out for one another and to take care for the next song.

That speech alone made the crowd burst with excitement but when the first note dropped something happened. It felt like the audience were possessed by the music and couldn’t stop moving. Limbs were going everywhere, legs above you, bodies slamming into you, the room had fully erupted. I have never seen a room move like this before. I have seen mosh pits and audiences like this at other shows but this was on another level.

PRESENCE

What made the night so special was not just the show, it was J.I.D’s intention on stage. He didn’t need a huge stage design or spectacle. His presence was enough and that was why it was so special. When this show finished you walked away not just thinking wow this show was amazing, you left thinking you witnessed an artist in full command of his craft, pushing himself and the audience and a artist who loves what they are doing and loves the fans who has supported him.

When the lights came back on people did not rush out of the venue, they lingered. Talking to their friends, replaying moments they had witnessed and talking about their favourite moments. It looked like people were still riding the high when leaving the gig, that’s the mark of a show that hits deeper. J.I.D did not just perform, he left his mark on the venue and the people who came out.

J.I.D.: Website

Mick Jenkins: Bandcamp

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