Auckland has been in an absolute frenzy since last Thursday when tickets went on sale. I literally saw a few groups of people sprinting back from their lunch breaks just moments after the announcement.. After missing out on his debut Auckland appearance at last year’s canned Laneway festival, it really was a “I can’t believe this is finally happening” moment.
Review by Oli Spencer
The whirlwind began when he landed in Australia for a surprise Sydney show - and all eyes have been on Fred’s social media since his surprise announcement of a Wellington gig as he flew into the city. Having the time of his life road tripping up our beautiful country on his way to Tāmaki Makaurau, Fred made a surprise pit stop at the Coroglen Tavern - packing out the iconic bar for what looked like an absolutely unforgettable experience. The show also opened our eyes to MESSIE, a budding Pōneke based electronic producer and DJ who took their shot, and was welcomed into the spotlight to flex their rich and exciting blend of house, grime, garage, iconic pop, and really anything else they can jam in there.
Now it was Auckland’s turn. From walking into the deep blue-lit arena, to leaving with goosebumps an hour and a half later - I really enjoyed every single moment of this performance. The show kicked off with quite an atmospheric tone, as the blue light shifted to a deep red - with a giant vertical screen coming on to show a close up camera set up on his keyboard. The cheers and screams echoed out as a simple “hi guys!” appeared, with Fred grinning from ear to ear in the background. It really felt like an extension of his Instagram stories, and was the perfect conclusion to the whirlwind of secretive and surprising posts over the last week. The opening message went on, saying he’s been planning a trip down to this corner of the world for a while, simply put, because we are the “fuckin best!” - a statement well received by the entire crowd. Auckland has been patiently waiting for this night, and according to Fred is the loudest city he’s ever had in his DM’s. Reading the entire heartfelt message in te reo Māori as well really made it such a special night, showing that a little effort can really go a long way. Why can’t more people be more like Fred?
Fred’s serene vocals opened up the night with the soulful ‘Kyle (i found you)’, met with an instant wash of joy spreading through the arena. Being able to watch him play the keyboard and mix live was a true bonus, feeling so incredibly intimate, despite being in a packed out arena. You could really feel that every single sound came from the heart. As the forever-feel-good ‘Bleu (better with time)’ began, the show was amplified by the unexpected inclusion of bright house lights into the performance. While at first it felt a bit strange, it really gave a clear view of a packed room, revealing a dense sea of smiles.
Fred again..’s set list was a fine balancing act, giving just enough of his beautiful atmospheric tracks to really heighten and fill the space with anticipation; teetering from the classic ‘Danielle (smile on my face)’ into the more bass-heavy ‘Kammy (like i do)’, before a nosedive into thrilling, booming club anthems - starting off with his most recent ‘stayinit’ with Lil Yachty and Overmono. It was a fan favourite, and for the first time showed off the full lighting set up, with a string of fast flashy lights darting above the crowd. A definite highlight of the night was the man himself popping up in the centre of the crowd on a small square stage, it felt like an arena sized boiler room set. The entire vibe shifted as he played the booming Jungle and the bass-rattling Rumble back to back - sandwiching a Baby Keem freestyle in the middle. Adding a sprinkle of wholesomeness to the manic rave, he spotted MESSIE in the crowd and invited them, and all their friends up on stage to join them!
The crowd was constantly charged with excitement, getting a taste of each album from his Actual Life trilogy, and even treated to a Fr-edit of Frank Ocean’s ‘Chanel’ before hearing the familiar ridged rap vocals of Baby Keem once more as he jumped into ‘leavemealone’, with Keem’s vocals woven through a club-ready flex of layered sonic texture. The show felt like one giant intertwined loop, with specific samples leaking into quite a few songs, as well as transcending through different moods. For example, the vocal sample “I want you to see me Fred, I’m here!” and the haunting vocals of Angie McMahon in ‘Angie (i’ve been lost)’. Singing alongside Fred’s emotive piano, but also screaming this when he kicked the beat into gear - it was a rollercoaster that everyone was on as the show drew closer to its finale.
Filling the room with the hypnotic vocals of ‘Marea (we’ve lost dancing)’, it was as if each lyric spoke so deeply to the collective consciousness of the room, taking us right back to the unprecedented limitations of 2020, where it really felt like we had lost touch with almost everything that kept us as humans going. With emotion at an all time high, Fred unleashed one last wave of euphoria into the crowd closing the electrifying set with ‘Delilah (pull me out of this)’. In that final fleeting moment, amongst the trembling rhythm, Fred’s soulful voice, and an astounding lighting display - you could truly see and feel a room full of strangers connect, all sharing this moment of pure joy that has been a long time coming. As the last few sounds faded away, and the lights came on, there was a collective reluctance to let the night end. Since then, everyone I’ve spoken to about it has said it was amazing.
After a whirlwind week, Fred again.. certainly lived up to the hype, and soared beyond expectation. I’d now say that his shows are a must see. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or simply curious, Fred again..’s performances have an undeniable magnetism. 10/10! Fred, please come back again, and again, and again..
Review by Oli Spencer