It’s difficult not to resonate with something created with genuine connection as its driving force. Fred again.. knows this well – it’s a major reason why he’s become the most acclaimed producer of his era.
At the final Melbourne show of his unexpected Australian tour, feelings of togetherness and community engulfed Rod Laver Arena from the beginning to the end of his energetic set.
Fred again.. – real name Frederick Gibson – fostered a warm cocoon of inclusivity for the lucky fans in the packed crowd audience. The set incorporated the most wholesome parts of modern-day technology and social media, utilising these features to explore and represent his artistic collaborations.
The accompanying visuals appearing both around and above Rod Laver Arena aided the sense of togetherness, while the casual nature of the footage provided a sense of intimacy for the audience. Here was a superstar producer inviting us into his world, the atmosphere – even the live footage of Fred himself was placed with a point of view that you might expect from a friend on FaceTime.
After a solid opening set from Joy (Anonymous), which did everything necessary to warm up the excited crowd, Fred again.. took to the stage and commenced his set with a beautifully executed delicacy. Situated behind a piano, Fred’s spacious introduction to “Kyle (i found you)” culminated in Kyle “Guante” Tran Myhre’s voice echoing around the arena, guaranteeing a gorgeous start.
After contextualising his 2022 album, Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022), the producer transitioned into “Bleu (better with time)”, the shift reflected through a lighting switch that left the arena glowing cobalt blue through powerful bursts of the house lights.
@travellin_t Ok Fred you win x #fredagain #fyp #movetoaustralia #livemusic #rodlaverarena #fredagainmelbourne #whvaustralia2024
This led to the removal of the cloud of darkness, and it further highlighted just how many people were inside the arena, holding each other, dancing with ecstatic abandon; Fred again.. saw us and we saw each other, enhancing the sense of unity.
The producer then casually ran through the crowd to a secondary stage in the middle of the mosh. An additional blaze of excitement fluttered through everyone surrounding him as the crowd noticed that the absolutely banging “Jungle” was the next track. He conducted everyone from his new vantage point, encouraging singing and as much involvement as possible.
Another captivating moment of community involved an (almost) brand new song, a live loop of the audience, and a surprise appearance by Henry Counsell – AKA Big Hen – who was revealed to be sitting among the crowd.
“I let you take a piece of me / I hope you get the peace you need,” Fred again.. taught the crowd to sing, and he was met with unquestionable affection and enthusiasm.
The barrier between artist and audience, if it wasn’t already, was now completely dissolved. Big Hen sent his vocals soaring from his initial base in the stands before leisurely moving onto the main stage. The crowd was organised into a two-section choir, eagerly awaiting their cue and putting everything they had into their segment of the track.
Inspired by seeing a few pairings in the crowd sitting up on each other’s shoulders, Fred again.. requested that everyone in the mosh follow suit for the duration of the fan favourite track, “adore u”. Less than a minute later, the number of feet on the ground had halved and the height of the standing crowd had doubled.
@char3pring @Fredagainagain asking a melbourne moshpit to get on each others shoulders for the first time, the best type of chaos ✨🪩🩵 one of the best concerts of my lifetime, thank you fred 🥹🫶 #fredagain#fredagainmelbourne#fredagainagainagain
For “Angie (i’ve been lost)”, he called again upon his near-15,000 strong choir to sing the part of local singer-songwriter, Angie McMahon (who appeared in person at his previous Rod Laver Arena show for a stunning live collaboration).
“Billie (loving arms)” took the place of the penultimate track, and by the first articulation of “Put your loving arms around me,” the lyrical sentiment echoed throughout the arena. Arms that had been in the air for the entirety of the set instantly found the person nearest to them, pulling them closer.
The set concluded with – what else? – “Delilah (pull me out of this)”, and those final minutes reached a true crescendo, everyone savouring the last track together.
Fred again.. is far from the first artist to foster such a positive community at his shows – Taylor Swift just departed Melbourne, after all – but rarely is the connection between artist and crowd this reciprocal. If the connection between a globetrotting artist and a local crowd can often feel forced, Fred again.. really tries to immerse himself in a city and its people.
Every place, from Melbourne to Sydney next week to even tiny Scottish villages, is made to feel special by the producer (witness his gleeful travels around Melbourne in his Instagram Stories). Inside Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday night, he leaned into spontaneity, bouncing off the Melburnians around him, ensuring everyone from the mosh to the nosebleeds was right there with him, matching his energy.
Fred again.. stressed the importance of human connection at his Melbourne show by simply doing one thing: playing music live with pure enthusiasm and no pretension, recalling the way we took to music as children. It’s a vital lesson in these diffuse times, really.
