Live Review: A$AP Rocky, Raury

Tonight's opening set by Atlanta's recent hip hop wunderkind, Raury, kicks things off on a high note, and if the number of glazed eyes are anything to go by, this is exactly what the people ordered. The charismatic MC brings the stage to life with a spirited performance that would be the envy of many a veteran in the game. The beats come across in a large way; at times the bass is turned up so high it vibrates the inner ear, and the sound is given added depth by live guitar and drums during selections of the set. Bangers Cigarette Song and Trap Tears have a lot more energy than their studio counterparts in this setting, while tracks like Her and the Danger Mouse-produced Crystal Express flaunt the depth and range of this gifted young star's repertoire. "It's either for the people or for the money, and this one is for the people," Raury preaches, as he leads into the powerful set closer, Devil's Whisper. He bids farewell before jumping on the back of a huge security guard and piggyback-riding his way to the most jovial of exits.

After such a strong support slot the headliner really has his work cut out for him, but from the moment A$AP Rocky bounds onto the stage, with opener Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2 (LPFJ2), it's evident he's got things under control. High calibre visuals splash across the stage, and on Rocky's part it's the kind of high voltage entrance that screams, "I have arrived, and I'm here to bring the A-game!" Multiply follows and the feeling in the room remains electric. His minor-legion of dedicated fans have packed the room to near-capacity. They hang on every word and indulge their ecstatic states by shouting along to every second. Hella Hoes sees A$AP Nast take the stage to join another two rappers who back Rocky throughout with added rounds of aural weaponry. They're firing on all cylinders as they cruise through Canal St, Purple Swag and Goldie — the fevered response to the latter suggests that there are many in the room whom hold Long. Live. A$AP closest to their hearts.

The sweat flows on the dancefloor, but the temperature on stage appears to be reaching boiling point. "It's real slippery on stage," Rocky repeats a half-dozen times. "If we fall and bust our ass you goin' to laugh at us?" M'$ keeps things bouncing before the brilliantly seductive L$D brings a few moments of sensual calm — the visuals really add to the moment as they splash the stage with gorgeous psychedelic patterns of swirling colour. Rocky shouts out a tribute to the late A$AP Yams and shares the love of his crew with Shabba and Yamborghini High. A highly charged version of Electric Body takes us into the home stretch. "We got time for one more," Rocky teases, before the stage explodes into the manic Wild For The Night. A call and response of "Who I be?"/"That pretty mothafucka" signals the arrival of Peso, the classic set closer, and the last of the energy stacks is spent. It's pretty, it's professional, and it's a damn pleasing night!