If you found yourself online during the week you will have seen the panic of Irish dance music fans in their desperate search for any information on Fred Again.. and his latest tour. Where is he playing? How do you get tickets? Who are the special guests? Do you have any tickets? Is he just playing one gig? HOW THE HELL DOES ANYONE GET TICKETS?
As the British DJ's tour came to a close in the RDS last Saturday night, so with it did the wave of panic created by his cryptic teases all week for the Dublin date - but if you weren't one of the lucky few to get attend in person, or if you’ve been watching the chaos and wondering just what it was all about, we’ve got you sorted.
When Fred Again pulled up to a random bar in Dublin 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/JewHFablGF
— Groove Bassment (@groovebassment) January 1, 2023
Rising to prominence in 2022 following an explosive Boiler Room set (an online channel that showcases DJs in intimate venues surrounded by fans - other guests have included acts like Charli XCX and Carl Cox) Fred Again.. has been the name on everyone’s lips ever since. He's the increasingly rare kind of artist that unites generations; you might think Saturday's gig would have been one big pool of Gen Z-ers, but while they were well represented I was personally chatting to ravers in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. With every EP and mixtape dropped, Fred Again..'s popularity has soared. Previous shows in The 3Olympia and The Button Factory have sold out in seconds. His surprise appearances in Doyle's in Dublin and Dick Macks in Dingle left those pubs with queues around the corner as word spread.
Just over 6 weeks ago Fred Again.. announced that he would be continuing his famed USB Series with a follow up, USB002. The tour would consist of ten dates in ten cities all across Europe. Here's where things got interesting; that instead of a traditional tour, each city would be announced just a week before the concert would take place. Clues would be fed out via Instagram before the location was announced, and tickets could only be secured by signing up to his mailing list and obtaining a unique code that got you access to the ticket queue. Needless to say, a complete panic was created. As the dates were coming to a close, eagle-eyed fans started to spot Fred Again.. billboards popping up around Dublin, and just ahead of the penultimate gig in Lyon it was finally announced that the tour would wrap with a massive show in the RDS for 7000 lucky Dublin ravers (not before playing a more intimate set the night before for 500 fans in Dublin’s Button Factory, an invite-only gig for long standing members of the Fred Again.. mailing list).
The set is... monstrous.
It was an early start for the lucky fans who headed in for the full set, with a 4.30pm kick-off. Support came from Dublin-based DJ EMA, as well as Caolan Ryan, a Dingle native who's been making waves playing clubs across the UK and Ireland and has been playing with Fred Again since before he invited him to his secret set in the Kerry village, and rounded off by FDC DJs, the DJ leg of Irish rockers Fontaines DC. That list of talent alone would be an impressive line-up, but for the night that was in it, it was all eyes on the headliner. Prior to the show it was announced that phone cameras would be covered up upon entry as the show was being professionally filmed - Dublin being the only place Fred said he could imagine filming the show in. Being in that crowd, you can can see why he believes it. The atmosphere in Ballsbridge in the walk-up to the stadium is electric; excitement has been building all day and there's a mad dash inside as his set grows closer.
Inside the room, there's an elevated stage where Fred Again stands in the middle flanked by collaborators and special guests – imagine a kind of techno Last Supper if you’re trying to picture the visual. Behind him are bleachers, seating a mix of fans, other DJs, friends and family, who for the duration of his three-hour set play a huge part, locked into every moment and guiding on the audience on their journey. Ahead of him lie just shy of 7000 die hard Fred Again.. fans who have travelled from all over the country (and further afield) hanging on his every word and beat. While not everyone strictly adhered to to the no-phone rules - as the show progressed more and more torch lights began to appear - it was without a doubt the least I’ve seen the cameras come out in years. It’s as close to an old-school pre-phone rave as you’re getting.
The man himself takes to the stage at 7.30pm and plays right through. The set is... monstrous. It’s a mix of hits, previews of new music and remixes of fan favourites that doesn’t let up for nearly 3 hours. It’s clearly a special night for the DJ, who keeps reiterating that he couldn’t imagine finishing the tour anywhere else, which in the moment certainly doesn’t feel like a platitude. The show is interspersed with artists who feature on his tracks literally hopping up on the tables where he’s mixing and belting out their tunes; highlights of the night are Dundalk rapper Reggie and Amy from Amyl And The Sniffers. Every new performer is electric and it’s incredible to watch an artist of that scale put so much effort into highlighting emerging artists. As the show comes to a close, Fred Again.. drops a mix of his Dermot Kennedy collaboration Dermot (see yourself in my eyes) and if there was any fear of the crowd wavering, they are done away with as the singer's voice booms throughout the venue, echoed back by a crowd who remain in the palm of the DJ's hands, clearly having the time of their lives.
As the crowds slowly disperse back into Dublin 4, it’s never been more obvious how much a want - a need - there is for dance spaces in this country.
