Six60 perform at Villa Maria, Auckland. Photo / Steven McNicholl
Six60 perform at Villa Maria, Auckland. Photo / Steven McNicholl
If you want to get a sense of exactly how big Six60 have become, last night's concert at Villa Maria was a pretty strong statement.
Gates opened at 4.30pm, and fans went running at full tilt down the natural grassy bowl to claim their spot right in front of the stage. No matter that the sun was blazing and it would be over four hours before Six60 would take the stage, they were committed.
Thankfully there were four support acts to keep fans entertained, and Six60's selection of artists was indicative of remarkably good taste and judgement.
Rising local hip hop star Diaz Grimm kicked off proceedings with a crackling set which proved why he was nominated for a NZ Music Award last year.
Matiu Walters from Six60 performs. Photo / Steven McNicholl
Electrically colourful mega-group Weird Together were next, both presenting and encouraging the best dance moves of the night with their on stage world music party.
Six60's American label mate Mike Taylor then arrived to inject some old/nu school RnB style into proceedings before P-Money turned the vineyard into a club.
The level of rabid enthusiasm was slowly increasing and the people watching was almost as good as the scheduled entertainment.
But then in a brilliantly timed puff of blue smoke, Six60 arrived, and the spell was cast.
Arms were up, girls were swaying on top of guys shoulders and the five Dunedin dudes were given a heroes welcome.
Did they deserve it? In a word, yes. Whatever your opinion of their music, there's no arguing they put on a great show: the lights, the stage set up (two drum kits on risers) and the scale of the production were all top notch. And they're tight.
Photo / Steven McNicholl
Then, only three songs in, lead singer Matiu Walters climbed half way up the towering stage scaffolding to sing through a megaphone.
Where could it go from there? 10,000 people (one of the biggest crowds Villa Maria has ever hosted) yelling "hit me" as Walters did a few vocal gymnastics was quite entertaining, and hearing the crowd sing along to their bona fide 2015 hit White Lines, while recreating their feel good video live, was pretty darn memorable.
That song has Kiwi classic firmly stamped on it and it felt like the encore even though it came mid set.
Yes, there were some slightly more tepid songs, but the tracks from their latest album, like Special and So High, as well as older hits like Forever (combined with a cover of Drake's Hotline Bling) stand up to the test of stadium treatment, with Walters honey smooth voice the anchor of their appeal of their genre fusion.
Plus any kiwi act that can get 10,000 Aucklanders singing in unison deserve a tip of the hat.
