Joji
22nd November 2023
Spark Arena, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Doug Peters.
Whether it be Filthy Frank, Pink Guy or Joji, George Kusunoki Miller has certainly been a few different personas in his lifetime. Each and every one of them bringing a new dynamic, humour and talent to the dinner table.
But for the thousands of fans that swarmed into Spark Arena last night, it was Joji, singer and songwriter of such hits as ‘Glimpse of Us’ that they had come to see.
Those who were smart, got there early in order to take in the phenomenon that is SavageRealm; the Houston based rapper and producer the epitome of positivity in the house.
Arriving on stage in black, a pair of sunnies wrapped around his face, SavageRealm took everything in his stride as he let the crowd know that he was a “trustworthy” guy who is all about positivity and love and therefore they were to vocalise and release any and all negative energy now, by booing, flippin’ the bird or whatever else worked for them. That done, everyone laughing after hearing themselves do so it was on with the set.
Declaring that his first track is one he hasn’t dropped yet, SavageRealm kindly took the crowd through the chorus so that everybody could join in regardless; with a music style that blends elements of trap, Southern Hip Hop and a whole lot of sound effects when he gets on the buttons, his music is easy to chill to.
Using a simple set up, SavageRealm running his own laptop on basically a stage with no fancy effects, it was easy to identify the talent. Tracks such as ‘Bore Bora’, ‘Afternoon’ and ‘Feeling Great’ delivered with a laid-back style that instantly resonated with the kiwi crowd.
Feeding off of this, SavageRealm soon had a sing-a-long going, cheers rising as he asked whether New Zealand fucked with SpongeBob SquarePants and at one point the obligatory Rock, Paper, Scissors game was held in the middle of the floor section, a tense draw to start off with then seeing attendee Bailey take out the title, his mates celebrating the win with maximum spice.
Finishing up on ‘Love Me Better’, SavageRealm was the perfect opener for Joji, his brand of music not only in keeping with the overall sound of the night, but his overall persona one that works well with both kiwi audiences and Joji himself.
The jammed floor section soon found a way to entertain themselves between sets, one blown up condom soon encouraging others to create a ‘balloon’ of their own. Good to see that the kids are taking sex education seriously and are carrying them even if it is (in this case) just for blowing up and batting around the room.
So, it seemed even more appropriate that when the lights went down and the big screens sprang to life that those in attendance were greeted by a video of Joji fapping to the Auckland Sky Tower, the image reminding everyone that Filthy Frank will always be lurking in the shadows.
With five large podiums set up on stage, each one occupied by a different band member, the arrival of Joji was heralded as even the shortest person in the crowd could get a view of their favourite sad boi. Dressed in t-shirt, baggy jeans and a cap emblazoned with the word ‘Brooklyn’, Joji cuts a simple figure, but one with an instant charisma that is only amplified when he speaks, his baritone register more than just a little appealing.
But Joji had some impressive friends along for the ride; to his left SavageRealm and his buttons along with Joshua Snow on guitar who was letting rip on the strings and sounding like he was a member of a heavy metal band. On the right, pianist Isaac Sleator, affectionately nicknamed ‘Gator’ was performing masterful pieces with fingers that seemed fluid in nature by how smoothly they moved up and down the keys, and drummer ‘The Bear’ laying down rhythms with tenacity.
Following on from a kick ass entrance that had all eyes focused on the stage, Joji jumped straight into ‘Sanctuary’ from his second album Nectar released three years ago, those in attendance joining him in song. ‘Yeah Right’, ‘Night Rider’ and ‘Will He’ saw Joji lay down some fancy footwork atop his podium and some serious melancholy vibes.
Having created music that focuses on the subjects of heartbreak, betrayal, love and relationships, Joji is the ultimate sad boi while setting his musical poetry to lo-fi and R&B melodies along with a little trap, trip hop and EDM for good measure. His record label 88Rising, best known for their representation of Asians in the arena of hip-hop and R&B, recognised the talent. And so did his fans.
His relationship with his band mates saw the show run cohesively, the music uplifting despite the underlying heartbreak of some of the songs. Showing his appreciation for those in attendance, Joji was soon launching free merch into the air from his ‘arm cannon’ before pointing to someone in the crowd and commending them for their blowing of bubbles that had been floating into the air for most of the night.
Moving from YouTube personality to singer / songwriter is never an easy transition, as there will always be the haters to take you down. But make no mistake, the boi can sing. With a voice reminiscent in many ways of a member of the rat pack (think Sinatra), Joji crooned tales of unrequited love that almost made your bottom lip quiver. His casual delivery style of many of the songs only adding to the genuineness of the mood.
But Joji knows how to have fun too, cause life is all about balance right? So, who doesn’t want to watch him and SavageRealm go head-to-head in a round of Super Smash Bros (yup, SavageRealm kicked his ass again) or throw a DnB gig in the middle of the set.
Huh? Yup, a DnB gig in the middle of the set thanks to Yebi Labs who consisted of five gentlemen in balaclavas who suspiciously looked like Joji and co. Raising the roof with tunes from Lil Uzi Vert through to darthwav, Skrillex and Knock2, Yebi Labs turned Spark Arena into a festival zone, complete with inflatable balls, pool noodles and laser lights.
Most notable of all amid the chaos was the fact that Joji from time to time was dutifully signing a myriad of items (such as shoes, bags, t shirts and hoodies) that were being handed to him by his assistant who was running backwards and forwards between the pit and Joji in order to get as many items signed as possible.
That is a true artist.
Just as quickly as it appeared, Yebi Labs vanished, Joji and co returning to their podiums to deliver a few more tracks with a renewed vigour. ‘Die for You’, ‘Like You Do’ and ‘Can’t Get Over You’ all delivered with passion that made more than a few fans eyes leak liquid stuffs.
A Soundcloud classic of ‘Plastic Taste’ identified those in the audience who have been there since the beginning, while ‘Gimme Love’ saw out the night in upbeat fashion.
Not one, but two encores were dropped on the still hungry fans, Joji unable to leave the arena without playing his two biggest hits, ‘Slow Dancing in the Dark’ and the bittersweet ‘Glimpse of Us’, the singular word of ‘Joji’ appearing on the back screen to indicate that (unfortunately) his time with his Auckland fans was over.
Forget the bullshit; Joji is an absolute star who not only has the talent, but the ability to not take himself too seriously, memes and dick jokes ensuring that his feet are kept firmly planted on the ground.
Last night’s show was pure vibes, energy, and love – wrapped in musicianship that would put some bands to shame. If that is the quality we get for his first ever show in Aotearoa, then fingers crossed it isn’t too long before he returns!
Joji:
SavageRealm:
Were you there at Spark Arena for this magnificent lo-fi trip-hop gig? Or have you seen Joji perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- Sanctuary
- YEAH RIGHT
- NIGHT RIDER
- Will He
- Daylight
- YUKON (INTERLUDE)
- Pretty Boy
- worldstar money (interlude)
- I Don’t Wanna Waste My Time
- Ew
- [Yebi Labs DJ set]
- Die for You
- Like You Do
- Afterthought
- Can’t Get Over You
- Plastic Taste
- Gimme Love
- Slow Dancing in the Dark [encore]
- Glimpse of Us [encore]
Note: Ambient Light was provided passes to review and photograph this concert. As always, this has not influenced the review in any way and the opinions expressed are those of Ambient Light’s only. This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a product using an affiliate link, Ambient Light will automatically receive a small commission at no cost to you.
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