Young Fathers give a lesson in command at Latitude 2015

Speaking to DIY earlier this year, Mercury Prize-winning Scots Young Fathers emphasised the power of performance. “Everyone recognises when they see something that’s different - you feel it,” said Alloysious Massaquoi. “When you watch performances - if you watch a bog-standard thing, it’s fine. But even if it’s the way someone looks, or moves a certain way, or holds themselves on stage. Something so simple - it connects.”

This looks to be the Edinburgh group’s mantra. Hold the attention of a crowd, do something different, and you’ll win them over. Even if it’s a slight mannerism, it works. Graham ‘G’ Hastings eyeballs the crowd instead of staring at his feet between songs. Kayus Bankole barks demands, like “we don’t want to ask you to clap your hands, we don’t want to ask you to dance” and just like that, reverse psychology does the trick. With menace at their side, they bring everything to a bold, politicised burst of energy.

Even when all three members are chanting nonsensical cries, they do it with intoxicating force. Every move, every sleight of hand belongs to them. ‘Get Up’ is a distorted, siren-drenched hit of adrenaline. ‘Rain or Shine’ follows with similar bravado. What ties everything together is a sense of belief. With their awareness of performance and how everyone perceives them, Young Fathers know when to strike. It’s a rare quality to see in a band with so many wild ideas.