Photo: Press
You could argue that it's a little uncharitable to ask fans who've already paid for a festival ticket to fork out even more to attend The Great Escape's biggest hyped shows. But, uncharitable or not, it doesn't seem to stop fans of Skepta & JME from turning out in their thousands to pack out the Brighton Dome on the final night of the festival, for a show that surely signals a turning point for grime.
Tonight's show, with its grand, sprawling setting, substantial running time and plethora of recognisable guests (including Boy Better Know affiliates Jammer and Shorty), feels more like a fully-fledged concert than a festival set.
The two brothers from Tottenham first made a name for themselves alongside Wiley as part of Boy Better Know - but where Wiley chose to flirt with a poppier mainstream in the form of chart singles like 'Wearing My Rolex' and 'Heatwave', the pair opted instead to plant their feet firmly in the underground scene, confident that there was no need to compromise.
Confidence, in fact, is one of their greatest strengths. Onstage, Skepta in particular exudes charisma, dynamism and self-assurance - this is, after all, the man who named his debut album Greatest Hits. His dynamism is infectious - from the balcony the crowd resemble one swaying mass, sparking into frenzied communal thrashing with every drop.
"You are one of the fucking sickest festival crowds I've ever seen," muses Skepta as they conclude Boy Better Know classic 'Too Many Men' - and it doesn't merely sound like well-worn stage patter. This crowd aren't just fair-weather fans either (today, after two days of rain and wind, that expression is finally fitting) - though there's a significant amount of macho posturing from members of the crowd whenever the light of the roaming camera is upon them, there's never a sense that their enthusiasm for grime is just a weekend-long novelty. Without fail, they bellow out lyrics when a microphone is held towards them, and when the set ends and the pair jump off the stage to shake hands with fans, there's a hum of genuine excitement.
2015, it seems, is shaping up to be the year of grime.
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