After two years of high hopes and crushed dreams, international acts are back on the menu - and last night's display at Trusts Arena showed fans were buzzing to welcome touring artists back to Aotearoa.
Louisville rapper Jack Harlow Photo: RNZ / Liam Brown
Louisville rapper Jack Harlow finally graced our shores for a sold-out, one night only show in Tāmaki Makaurau, and fans were happy to line up in the cold and rain for a chance to see one of the biggest names in hip hop right now.
The hall was packed out but I managed to squeeze my way through to a pretty cosy spot, nestled in the sweet stench of a group of tall, sweaty Southland lads.
Harlow opened with 'Talk of the Town' and 'Dua Lipa' from his latest album, Come Home The Kids Miss You, and seamlessly flitted between deep cuts and new hits to give the crowd a taste of his catalogue. And he knew exactly how to work that crowd with classic Harlow charm.
Early on in his set, he gave a shoutout to nurses and thanked them for their service during the pandemic, before diving into his track '21C/Delta' in which he raps about wanting to date a nurse.
He gave another shoutout to Sylvia Park, which oddly enough received some of the biggest cheers of the night. "That's a lot of love for a shopping centre," Harlow remarked. "You must have stakes in that m*****f*****."
Photo: RNZ / Liam Brown
The stage set-up meant he was visible from every angle, whether you were wedged down in GA or seated high up in the stands. Impressive visual reels and lighting choices meant every section of the show had its own vibe. And excellent pacing on Harlow's part meant he could engage with the crowd in between songs to keep the energy high without burning out.
One of my favourite moments of the night included him talking about sight-seeing around Auckland that day, which led to a segue into his 2020 hit, 'I WANNA SEE SOME A**'.
Another banger momentwas when the crowd started belting the national anthem in te reo Māori after Harlow mentioned how passionate New Zealand crowds are, especially at rugby games. "How many of y'all are fans of the All Blacks?" Every single one of us, Jack.
Photo: RNZ / Liam Brown
Part of his charisma as a performer and personality is his earnestness. Harlow thanked the crowd for coming out in terrible weather to see him and for being a part of history at his first New Zealand show. It's one of those things every artist says, but for some reason, you just really believe him.
He also assessed the crowd regularly, urging fans to take a step back from the barricades and it was nice seeing an artist be so diligent about respect and safety.
After cruising through a few more hits - 'Churchill Downs', 'Already Best Friends', and the TikTok famous 'WHATS POPPIN', Harlow really started leaning into his high energy tracks towards the end of his set. He closed with 'Nail Tech' and an encore of 'First Class', and the fans couldn't get enough. People were cheering, and chanting, and hollering, and frankly, having a blast.
His setlist had a solid collection of old tracks and new, a little something for the OG fans and the younger TikTok girlies. And of course his flirtatious antics were in full force. The man is a disciple of Chet Hanks' 'White Boy Summer' campaign after all, and full of all of the charm and swagger in the world. Even Pitchfork admitted it in all its hateration.
It was my first big international gig since Laneway 2020. A long while to wait, but so worth it to see one of my favourite artists live and in our very own backyard.