Synthony Pride: How Matty McLean will celebrate the inaugural event - Spy

Harper Finn, Matty McLean and Boh Runga are all gearing up for Synthony Pride.

Kiwi radio star Matty McLean tells Ricardo Simich what to expect from Synthony Pride.

Punters are dusting off their leathers and sequins and everything in-between for the extravaganza, which is the inaugural Synthony Pride, but The Hits host Matty McLean is still not sure what to wear.

“I have been frantically Google Image searching outfits to wear, because I feel like I need to step up my game,” McLean tells Spy. “Watch this space to see if I’m brave enough to rock a mesh top.”

Next Saturday at Spark Arena, thousands will party like the great pride parties of the 90s, with Sarah Grace Williams conducting the 46-piece Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra along to pop throwbacks, disco mantras and iconic dance anthems.

McLean is a Synthony virgin and can’t contain his excitement that his first one will be the celebration of the LGBTQIA+ communities.

“I’ve only ever heard the best things about Synthony, the Pride edition sounds like the perfect introduction – Madonna, Kylie, Gaga. Say no more!”

The night’s vocalists – Boh Runga, Paige, Harper Finn, Greg Gould, Jujulipps, Nyree and Cassie McIvor – are more than up for the bangers on the set list, which includes everyone from Donna Summer’s I Feel Love and Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Murder On The Dancefloor to David Guetta’s Titanium.

Runga tells Spy she can’t wait to hear Finn’s version of Kylie Minogue’s Can’t Get You out of My Head. “I love that song, it’s my favourite track to do the housework to.”

Finn says the set list looks sublime. “Performing with the orchestra, being on stage with so many musicians at once is going to be exciting,” he says.

The visuals are next level too. The light show, with a 10m catwalk, eight-piece dance crew, seven drag queens and one drag king and the 30-piece GALS choir, is guaranteed to blow the roof off.

SkyCity is throwing the pre and after parties offering 25% off for ticket holders who want to boogie the weekend at the SkyCity Hotel.

Flare bar is having a free R20 official pre-function and free wristbands for the after-party are available at the bar. The first 200 people to get wristed get a free bus to Spark Arena. At the event SkyCity will have showgirls and a shimmer wall at Spark Arena and The Hits will have a glam station, for glitter touch-ups.

From 11pm back at Flare Bar, DJs will play the disco and dance anthems from Synthony, followed by a midnight drag show and more banger tunes to follow until closing.

Tickets for Synthony Pride are selling out fast at Synthony Pride - Synthony

Ricardo Simich is the New Zealand Herald’s Spy editor. Based in Auckland he covers all roads that lead to popular culture.