A$AP Rocky brings overblown spectacle to Reading Festival

“I be that pretty mother fucker from New York,” grins a golden-toothed A$AP Rocky, kneeling to survey one of the biggest main stage crowds of the weekend. Demanding a separate mosh pit for every single bar he spits (the set reaches a record total of 12, stretching way out to the food stalls) and performing in front of a giant stack of inflatable dollar bills - natch - A$AP’s first turn on Reading’s biggest stage is one of brilliantly overblown performance.

Striding across the stage, singing the intro to ‘Every Day’ without a hint of instrumental, it’s an all stops pulled out spectacle. “I need to see more crowdsurfing,” A$AP declares at one stage, helpfully explaining the concept as he goes; “pick someone up, and carry them around.” Hedonistic though he may be, he’s also technically flawless today. After waiting a long time for his turn on the so-called ‘big boy’ stage, A$AP rises to the challenge.