Concert Recap: Fred Again..
Words by Summer Fathke
“Fred again..” is a name that is sweeping across the nation right now, and for very good reason. Fred Gibson (aka “Fred again..”) a producer, songwriter, and singer from South London who has worked with some of the biggest artists in the world, has just finished playing his eight-show run at The Shrine in Los Angeles.
Fred again.. is an all around creative and he shows that through the artisanship in his show design. Fred is known for sampling random internet videos or clips of people speaking and turning them into hits, but it was interesting to see him actually display the videos he was sampling as they were played. It felt like a way to tie the audience in and show them “Hey, we both exist on the same internet. I’m just like you and see the same interesting things that you see”. He paired these videos with overhead LED displays that were running gorgeous visuals throughout the night. The Shrine has one of the more “basic” looking stages in LA when it comes to aesthetics, and this felt like a way to bring the crowd into his world.
He started the set off strong, playing “Kyle (i found you)” while displaying text on screen welcoming us to the show and thanking the crowd for being a part of his last few shows of 2023. He continued on and brought the pacing up by playing his heartfelt and melodic song “Dermot (See Yourself In My Eyes)”. You can tell the setlist was perfectly thought through every step of the way as groups of friends hugged each other and strangers exchanged warm smiles leading into his more upbeat work. Fred then did something I’ve never seen any artist do, and thanked the crew for his whole tour. Not just with a quick “thank you”, but by calling them out by name and playing videos he’s taken of them, incorporating those soundbites into the next song.
Throughout the night Fred did many things to show that audience how down to Earth he is. In between songs there were cheeky, humble smiles and a plethora of “thank you”’s. About halfway through his set he announced that he was going to join the audience and play a bit from the middle of the standing area. He ran through the crowd with a grin plastered on his face and then set up on a satellite stage to deliver some of his more upbeat songs. A large LED screen lowered from the ceiling to give off a compact underground club effect, something that is a huge part of his brand after all of his pop-up’s and viral boiler room set.
He was quick to get the crowd grooving by playing his highly anticipated song with Skrillex “Rumble”. Towards the end of the song he started to incorporate more drum and bass, turning it into a dance party as people started to put their phones down and enjoy the moment. He ended up playing “Jungle” for a second time in the night, but remixed it with more drum and bass making it feel like a completely different song. He made the most of his time performing on the B-stage deep in the crowd before heading back to the main stage to finish out the show.
In addition to playing his hits, Fred also teased a few of his upcoming songs. The audience and I were on the same page when it came to how much we enjoyed his new work. He’s exploring his heart and mind through music and I could tell the audience and I were both eagerly awaiting their releases when we all cheered him on.
On top of his exciting projects, Fred again.. had an energetic stage presence that made anyone there excited to listen. By live mixing through the entire show it made the audience feel like they were getting every aspect of a live show. After this set I would definitely recommend a Fred again.. show to anyone who wants to have a fun time dancing the night away.
Make sure to check out Fred Again.. and follow him on social media to see where he’s touring to next!