Lizzo
26th July 2023
Spark Arena, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Kate Taylor. Photography by Tom Grut.
Quite simply, Lizzo last night was magnificent. I think with Lizzo, you either get her, or you don’t. To be in an arena of people who very much get her was a truly enriching experience. Auckland’s Spark Arena was shining, beaming with excellent atmosphere and inclusiveness. Sharing with Lizzo the last evening on her arena tour was something special in and of itself too with so many touching moments during the evening.
While there’s no doubt that the night belonged to Lizzo, a deeply exciting surprise was the performance by Tkay Maidza. Serving looks, flows and style in support on the Australasian dates of the tour, this Adelaide artist wasted no time in commanding the crowd. Song highlights to immediately familiarise yourself with include: 24K, So Cold, Silent Assassin with fellow Aussie heavyweights Flume, Cashmere, Syrup and a surprisingly fresh and cool rendition of Where Is My Mind by The Pixies. In a night of historic moments, it was a blast to join Tkay on the evening that she announced her new album Sweet Justice and shared single Ring-A-Ling. I really hate to compare and I definitely do not want the fanbase misconstruing and coming for a fellow Barb, but Tkay has the same stirring punk energy to her that early era Nicki Minaj had; with that ability to provide meaningful verses alongside softer and sexier selections to be one whole exciting talent that I felt honoured to have seen with no preconceived ideas of their performance and leaving a fan by the time Tkay was done with me.
With the stage perfectly set, the anticipation for Lizzo to arrive was high. It was to an ear-splitting welcome that Lizzo, a beacon of self-love and self-acceptance appeared on stage and proceeded to dazzle the audience with her lusciousness, vulnerability and undeniable realness.
All too often, there’s the expected patter of an artist speaking to their audience, especially if they’re from Stateside. It’s pretty easy to map out the predicted stage banter for most acts. Not with Lizzo. The vitality, the authenticity and the zero fucks given-ness of Lizzo exists within a world of love and a lack of competitiveness. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so safe at a show in my entire thirty-year gig going experience…and that’s not even including the meditation break, live proposal and the extended fan sign or outfit show-and-tell chat with Lizzo. This show was a happening. It was a pent-up release of emotion as fans new and day-one enjoyed every note, every sequin, every flourish. Fluting, melting your face off with the choreography of her moves, snapping, popping, hair flicking, oozing sex appeal and more importantly actual humility and care for her fans.
Clearly jams like About Damn Time, 2 Be Loved, Truth Hurts, Special, Rumours, Boys, Good as Hell and the iconic, Juice were joyfully and gratefully received, alongside Water Me and a lovely cover of Coldplay’s Yellow; as Lizzo’s iconic band and troop of ridiculously talented dancers provided a sensorial feast. More than that, Lizzo truly connected with her audience, spending time to take the big screen camera around the arena and pick out people to highlight and party with. Like Jason, whose sign Lizzo graced with her autograph; or to Sophie who’s been a major Lizzo fan for eight years and had a tender and personal moment with her icon, down in the front row. It’s likely futile to attempt to adequately encapsulate how special the evening was for artists and fans alike. That magical symbiosis that allows each group to exist because of the nurturing of the other by their actions; and on this night, with the ethos and wisdom that Lizzo brings it became a powder keg of motivation. It was the rocket under the butt of the person that needed that little push, it was the peace and party away from reality to reinforce the ability to ‘get back to it and push on’ tomorrow.
I truly hope if you’re a Lizzo fan, that you were able to experience this celebratory revelry that went much further beyond the joy of inclusion or affirmation of seeing a similar body shape to your own up there rocking it. It was a reminder that life is beautiful, to be cherished; and that the flowers flourish where you water them so, make sure you soak your own garden bitch and grow, grow, grow.
Lizzo:
Tkay Maidza:
Were you there at Spark Arena for this inclusive feel-good show? Or have you seen Lizzo perform live somewhere else? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Lizzo Setlist:
- Cuz I Love You
- Juice
- 2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)
- Soulmate
- Grrrls
- Boys
- Tempo
- Rumors
- Jerome
- Special
- Like a Girl
- Birthday Girl
- Everybody’s Gay
- Water Me
- Yellow [Coldplay cover]
- Coldplay
- Truth Hurts
- I Love You Bitch
- Good as Hell
- About Damn Time
Note: The reviewer purchased their ticket at full price, and Ambient Light has been supplied photography for this concert. 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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