Review: FOMO - The Trusts Arena, January 2020.
Australian's FOMO Festival returned to New Zealand last night, following on from its debut last year at Spark Arena, this year moving to an outdoor location at The Trusts Arena, much more suited to the spectacle of the acts on the bill.
By the time Lizzo took to the stage at 7.20pm, thousands of devoted fans (donning outfits with the phrase '100% That Bitch' emblazoned across the front, to cowboy hats, and glitter galore) were ready to sing along to every single word - from the opener 'Good As Hell' and every song after that.
Lizzo's powerhouse vocals are an undeniable force of energy, but what makes her show so incredible is the effortlessness of them - which are mixed between hilarious banter from Lizzo herself ("Do kiwis know how to twerk?" she asked with a cackle before a song, and she also went on to compliment our national delicacy, the cheese roll).
Before the slower jam 'Jerome', Lizzo took time to make a speech addressing how deserving we all are of love, declaring, "We're not bringing fuckboys into 2020!", before getting everyone to put their middle fingers in the air to sway with during her stunning performance of the song.
Telling us towards the end of the set that, "I feel connected to y'all," the rapturous audience reached peak excitement in the final two songs, 'Juice' and 'Truth Hurts', where she got the chance to showcase her flute skills and her choreographed dance routines with her four dancers on stage with her.
When it finally came time for Lizzo to leave the stage, she seemed equally as sad as the crowd at the end of the set - who are no doubt eagerly awaiting her return already.
Set-List:
Good As Hell
Cuz I Love You
Worship / Respect (Aretha Franklin & Elton John cover)
Scuse Me
Water Me
Jerome
Tempo
Boys
Soulmate
Juice
Truth Hurts
After a short interlude, and Rihanna's 'Stay' playing out for the crowd, self-declared boyband Brockhampton took to the stage - their first appearance in New Zealand since they performed their album 'iridescence' from front-to-back on the day of its release in September 2018. Since then, they've dropped a brand new album 'GINGER', and their new live show opened with two of these songs.
The group's frontman Kevin Abstract began the show solo on-stage, rapping the beginning of 'St. Percy' with ease, before other members Matt Champion, Dom McLennon, Merlyn Wood, and Joba each appeared throughout the song.
Older songs seemed to win the crowd over more than the newer material, with 'Bleach', 'Gold', and 'Gummy' played back-to-back, highlighting each of the member's talents.
After introducing each of the members on stage, the group started to invite fans from the crowd onto the stage for 'Queer' - but some microphone issues led to a delay in the songs starting. Once these were eventually fixed, Matt Champion launched into the opening of the song, with the fans on-stage dancing around throughout the song.
Unfortunately the sound issues led to their set being cut slightly short, so they closed out with the R&B infused 'Sugar' and "best boyband since One Direction" anthem 'Boogie', leaving the crowd enthused and ready for Kaytranada, who played the final set for the night.
Set-List:
St. Percy
If You Pray Right
Zipper
Boy Bye
Bleach
Gold
Gummy
Queer
Sugar
1999 Wildfire
Boogie
