By Amelia Britten
Aitch broke into the UK grime/rap scene as a young artist over the past couple of years after releasing music videos on YouTube for songs like ‘Straight Rhymez’. Originally from New Moston, Manchester, it hasn’t taken the 19-year-old long to become an extremely successful artist with millions of fans obsessing over him.
The excitement never dropped during the support acts, including London-based rapper Mhuncho and American artist Doja Cat. Their lyrics were constantly being chanted back at them throughout their performances of well-known records. Everyone in the crowd at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse was on the same vibe.
Aitch’s special guests such as fellow Manchester rapper Bugsy Malone also performed in the headliners’ home town, which gave the gig a real feeling of exclusivity. Even though each act leading up to the main attraction was short, it provided just enough of a buzz to the audience on their toes. what seemed like five hours had only been five minutes waiting for Aitch to come onstage.
After a build-up of flashing lights, the headliner’s name was released on onto the screens and he came onstage, kicking the night off with a new song from his album H20 (2019), cleverly called ‘Intro’ – one that inspired screams of joy.
Aitch’s style of music is very different from other rappers; his Manchester accent comes through strongly in his cleverly worded songs and his unforgettable beats are the reason for his quick success as an artist.
His collaborations on stage are enjoyable, such as his renowned feature in the song ‘Keisha & Becky’ with artist Tion Wayne that contributed to his rise in fame. The audience, of course, knew all the words.
He also played his well known single ‘Buss Down’ featuring ZieZie, proving that the audience could be even more high-spirited than before. It was this music that kept the tone of hardcore UK rap and did not disappoint the crowd.
Aitch never forgets his identity as an artist, even though the sound of his music varies from hard rap with the song ‘What’s Next’ to slower sounds such as ‘Already’, one which gives the audience something to sing along to.
As a performer, Aitch, real name Harrison Armstrong, showed that he was totally comfortable by casually dancing around onstage, which seemed to make the crowd more elevated.
It was clear that the setlist was strategically compiled to express where Aitch’s career began, as he finished off with one of the very first tracks that helped him break into the music industry – ‘Wait.’
Yet another song received extremely successfully, the final track had been performed and the young artist left the stage without saying goodbye. It didn’t seem to matter – the audience stayed hyped anyway.
Aitch’s stimulating rapport with the audience and clever music certainly showed why he’s just been nominated for ‘Breakthrough Album’ at the Brit Awards.
Featured image and gallery: Truck Festival For almost thirty years, set within the rolling fields of Hill Farm in Steventon, Oxfordshire, Truck Festival has been a cornerstone of the British festival calendar. Dubbed the ‘godfather of the UK’s small festival scene’, the festival continues to live up to that title, with a line-up packed with…
Featured image: American Football – American Football album artwork The debut album has long been treated as a baptism of fire for artists – the deciding factor that determines whether a band will ‘make it’ or not. Some debuts set the tone for what follows: Arctic Monkeys’ Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m…
Featured image and gallery: Lucy Elson-Whittaker Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra come to the Palace Theatre in Manchester to celebrate the release of their new album, Night Blooms. Liverpool-based Brooke Combe opens the evening with a stripped-back set alongside her guitarist, her soulful vocals instantly captivating the crowd. Blending heartfelt performances with quick-witted…
Featured image and gallery: Sally Stretch Three decades after they first emerged in Manchester, Take That return home to the Etihad Stadium and deliver an unforgettable show, combining circus theatrics and crowd-pleasing hits from across their catalogue. Formed in 1990, the group have released multiple chart-topping albums and embarked on numerous world tours, including 2009’s…
Leave a reply