Three things are unavoidable during the opening weekend of Wireless: the odour of bubble gum-scented vapes, sweaty teenage boys with Pete Davidson-esque torso tattoos inhaling nitrous oxide out of balloons, and mosh pits appearing like freshly laid crop circles.
Given last December’s tragedy at US rap superstar Travis Scott’s now infamous Astroworld festival (where 10 concertgoers died in a crush), you’d be forgiven for assuming the crowd might be a little more subdued than usual. Yet the thousands in attendance at this rap-heavy festival seem determined to prop up rage music – a sound built around distorted bass, unapologetic chanting, and securing a nosebleed in the pit to prove you went the extra mile for your favourite Soundcloud rapper.
