The stage is heaving with bodies, including a lion, a medical school skeleton, and some stragglers from a Día de los Muertos parade. They’re orbiting a pogoing Jax Jones, and in its dying moments, the producer’s set has finally tumbled into the sort of mayhem it has only previously hinted at.
In response, the crowd throws itself into hokey choreography as Instruction, his exuberant combination with Demi Lovato and Stefflon Don, reverberates around the room. Jones’s pop-house workouts are perfect for moments like this, joining the dots between gym playlist and boozy blowout, and live it would be wise to facilitate a few more of them in future.
The Londoner has emerged as a potent hitmaker in recent years. Since breaking through with Duke Dumont collaboration I Got U in 2014 – the song is delivered here with deference to its OG status, but a muted reception suggests it has been surpassed in his fans’ affections – he has placed nine songs in the UK Top 40.
His show is geared towards reeling them off with maximum efficiency. Shorn of guest vocalists and a live band, beyond a dalliance with a bass guitar, Jones is silhouetted against a huge video screen from within a lofty rack of synths and pads. As with his streaming-optimised album Snacks (Supersize), which began life as an EP before further singles dropped off the production line, Jones dispenses with a cogent narrative in order to bounce from set piece to set piece like an action film director out for the next endorphin rush.
At times, it is a successful tactic. His Ella Henderson collaboration This is Real and Play, a co-production with Years & Years, sound glorious atop crisp, thudding percussion, while Cruel’s sinuous bassline channels genuine menace.
Elsewhere, a splash of self-aggrandisement might have broken things open without the aid of Jones’s costumed friends. Ring Ring, starring Mabel and Rich the Kid, is largely sidelined by a rendering that draws attention away from its gilded hooks. By choosing instead to quietly investigate the track’s house blueprints from behind his gear, Jones dampens a communal high.
Jones is a charming performer, but he’s still finding his way. His tower of hits should provide impetus to follow in the footsteps of Calvin Harris or David Guetta, but first he needs to believe his own hype.
• Touring the UK until 21 March.
