Hayden James at Fortitude Music Hall 19/08/22
Written by Robert Hume
After releasing his sophomore album in April, and touring both Europe and North America, it was nice to see Hayden James back home in Australia. The singer and producer is no unfamiliar name to those who want to have a dance, and Friday night’s performance at the Fortitude Music Hall was no exception. It was set to be big from the start of the night with Memphis LK and BOO SEEKA beginning the evening to support the main act. Memphis LK started by paying respects with an acknowledgement of country, before laying the bass down as punters were arriving, setting the scene for the other two acts.
All three performances on the night were helmed by very talented producers who double as singers and songwriters. It’s a trend that we’ve been seeing for years and it’s so great to see Australian EDM artists showcasing their talents and championing Australia on the world stage.
Following in this vein Boo Seeka delivered an upbeat set in their signature style of classic instrumental techniques with live vocals. They provided the more somber element during the night, and mentioned several times during the set how happy they were to be back touring and seeing so many people turning up for the support acts when the live industry is still recovering from the effects of the pandemic. Finishing up their set, they performed ‘Does This Last’ and encouraged as many people as possible to get up on each other's shoulders and sing along, which facilitated a euphoric experience before leaving the stage and leaving punters to recharge themselves for the main act.
Anticipation could be felt from the crowd during the break but the visual build up in the five to ten minutes before Hayden appeared on stage manifested and teased the visual show that was about to take place, with audio and visual elements slowly moving to a crescendo as Hayden ran up onto the stage and lead with ‘Fade’ off his new album ‘LIFTED,’ which had fans cheering and moving with their hands in the air.
Hayden is not a stranger to bringing the hype. He formed an almost instant relationship with the audience and halfway through the show we saw him exhibiting this by shouting out to the crowd saying “I think we’ve only just warmed up.” Transitions between songs were effortless and the set order felt like it was meticulously chosen and the visuals, which included not only lights but also video on an LED screen that choreographed the high pace atmosphere. Hayden’s genuineness and sincerity in his work is as clear as the full moon that was on display outside the venue and the circular animation behind him that appeared many times throughout the set felt almost like a little nod to that.
‘Free’ was a crowd pleaser and saw Boo run back on stage after his support act and perform with Hadyen, phones were up in the air as the song was building up before the room erupted into a big moshpit and provided a festival-like experience inside the Fortitude Music Hall. The smoke machines providing haze throughout the venue echoed this feeling for the rest of the set, and afforded the lights and projections to take over the venue.
The night wouldn’t have felt complete without an encore and it was not long after the lights went down before we saw the stage lit up again with a special guest by Hayden’s side. In tradition Hayden finished the night off alongside GRAACE, together performing ‘NUMB.’ It’s evident that this song has a special place in Hayden’s shows with the audience singing along and dancing to GRAACE’s sultry voice.
However this was not where the night ended. As a goodbye, the beat increased for one final dance as ‘Just Friends’ filled the venue, allowing for punters to lose themselves to the music one more time. It was an unforgettable night for both old and new fans of Hayden James.
