Emily Williams performs at the Mānuka Phuel Synthony Festival. Photo / Jason Dorday
“It’s like the Auckland Coachella,” the young woman next to me said to her friend, as I waited for my nasi goreng.
Judging by the heaving sea of 40,000 revellers, carnival rides, lasers and activations galore that made it look like a mini city, I imagine a fair few people might agree with her.
But the Mānuka Phuel Synthony Festival had one major thing the Californian desert oasis (although it was hot out there) didn’t, and that’s the Auckland Philharmonia and conductor Sarah-Grace Williams.
These magical musicians were the gem in the crown that was the best outdoor party Auckland’s domain has ever witnessed – one that the city, and myself, will remember for years to come.
With three of the previous Synthony shows under my belt, I honestly thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect when it came to a Synthony gig. Club classics played by an orchestra, some good Kiwi supporting acts – it’s the perfect formula for a few good hours of fun in the sun.
However, it became apparent very quickly that this wasn’t its usual rodeo.
This time, not only did we have the iconic Synthony in all its glory, but a barrage of other local and international headliners spanning everything from rock to trance music.
Arriving early was a great decision, as Shelton Woolright’s band Made You Look kicked things off with some epic nu metal-esque sensibilities. Kiwi country legend Kaylee Bell followed and taught us how to line dance, before Jordan Luck and his Exponents transcended the generational crowd with a raucous performance of some of their greatest hits. Why does love do this to me? A question both the 20-somethings and 60-plus crowd members around me shouted with glee.
Did I wish I’d bought a camping chair or picnic blanket? My feet were saying yes, and I jealously looked at those who had prepared accordingly before I rushed to the barrier for Shapeshifter. Lead singer P-Diggs, who was later the MC for the Synthony, entranced the crowd with the band’s greatest hits, a perfect appetiser for what was to come.
As The Black Seeds brought their laconic reggae swag, it became apparent to me just how respectful the crowd was. No one pushed, no one shoved and most people were handling their grog well in the blazing heat. I even had someone come and high-five me for my choice of clothing, not something I’d ever experienced before.
Aussie duo Peking Duk are festival regulars, and it shows, because they were consummate crowd-work professionals. “Crouch down and then we’re gonna go crazy!” Everyone obeyed as the climactic beat dropped. “Raise an item of clothing and swing it around!” Off came the shirts, and my glasses.
About four hours in, it was time for the main event. I’d already lost my voice, but I was ready to power on. Sweet Nothing, the opening Synthony song, was exactly what came out of my vocal cords. Luckily, the likes of Cassie Henderson, Kaylee Bell, Jennie Skullander and Jujjulips (to name a few) were doing the vocal heavy lifting, and they did it with absolute class.
From Calvin Harris to Avicii and Darude, the best of the 90s, 2000s and today were powered through at breakneck speed and with heaving intensity from the top-class orchestra. How the musicians kept in time and note-perfect, I honestly have no idea, especially with the light show going on behind and in front of them.
Speaking of the light show, it was out of this world. Lasers, pyro, screens, a B-stage, this was a world-class effort that could put some major international tours to shame.
Bouncing inflatable balls were tossed around to add to the fun, and we even had real cannons blast fireworks as one of Tchaikovsky’s symphonies was added in for good measure. Want to see fireworks come out of a saxophone while someone plays it? You got it!
I was having so much fun that I didn’t want it to end. I could’ve Synthisised long into the night, but we still had a few more cherries on top of the festival cake to come. One of them was 25 minutes of Tom Lowndes, also known as Hot Dub Time Machine. If wedding DJs had a final boss, he’s your man. Mixing pop culture classics and sing-alongs with clockwork precision, he carried on the party atmosphere with an infectious enthusiasm and sense of fun that you’d be a fool not to smile.
And for one final hurrah, we got Faithless, featuring the 90s power pair Sister Bliss and Rollo. True stalwarts of the electronic genre, their live band pulled out all the stops to deliver a rip-roaring finale full of throwback charm and Coachella 2007 glory. “I can’t get no sleep,” the music blared, and they’re right, after the Manuka Phuel buzz I got after trying the energy drink.
Any Synthony concert is always going to be special – it’s a well-oiled machine with experience to boot. But this night was different. Just like Electric Avenue did for Christchurch a few weeks ago, the Synthony Festival has put Auckland front and centre as one of the best places in the world to host a live event.
Feet blistered, voice broken, I trudged back to the office to write this with a smile on my face, knowing that after seeing the success of this gig, Auckland’s own little Kiwi Coachella has an extraordinarily bright future ahead.
Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald’s entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke’s Bay Today.