Jack Ü bring the bangers to Reading 2016

Over the past eighteen months, Jack Ü have managed to infiltrate the mainstream charts in a way like no other. Tonight, with their huge closing set at Reading 2016, they’re proving exactly why the duo are such hot property right now: separately, they may be EDM heroes but together, Diplo and Skrillex have become real champions of the genre.

The NME / BBC Radio 1 tent is full to the rafters, with the crowd packed in tight, pulsating and moving with every sonic twist and turn of the decks. Diplo becomes a maniacal orchestra leader, running around constantly, commanding the crowd to move before jumping across the huge video screen that takes up most of the stage. Every so often smoke cannons erupt, or streamers fly out into the air and it feels more like we’re in the depths of a cavernous Ibiza club that a tent in a field.

Unsurprisingly, the song selection is perfectly on point: from the blazing sounds of Skepta’s ‘Shutdown’ to a new mix of Major Lazer’s ‘Lean On’, from Sigma’s ‘Nobody To Love’ into Weezer’s ‘Say It Ain’t So’, every move and mix brings chaos and joy in equal amounts. And that’s all before they casually burst into J-Biebz’ super hit and the tent erupts once more. Tonight, it’s clear that the pair are masters of their craft.