AUCKLAND, New Zealand 鈥� Singer Matiu Walters grinned as he gazed out over 50,000 damp but delirious fans and said those magic words: 鈥淪o, what鈥檚 up Eden Park?鈥�
While much of the world remains hunkered down, the band Six60 has been playing to huge crowds in New Zealand, where social distancing isn't required after the nation stamped out the coronavirus. The band鈥檚 tour finale on Saturday night was billed as the largest concert in the world since the pandemic began.
Equally momentous for a band which met while playing rugby at university was getting to play the first concert ever held at the storied Eden Park rugby stadium. And finding themselves at the apex of world music came as a twist for Six60, which has enjoyed unparalleled success in New Zealand but whose forays abroad have ended without the breakthroughs they sought.
Saturday's set by the five-piece band included powerful cameos by military musicians ahead of the nation
One fan, Lucy Clumpas, found it a surreal experience to be surrounded by so many people after she spent last year living through endless lockdowns in Britain.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very important for us as humans to be able to get together and sing the same songs together," she said. "It makes us feel like we鈥檙e part of something,鈥�
Walters, the lead singer, said they desperately want their musician friends around the world to be able to play live shows again.
鈥淲e know what it鈥檚 like to be in lockdown. It sucked. And we didn鈥檛 know if we鈥檇 be able to play gigs again," he said in an interview before the show. "But we are fortunate, for a few reasons, here in New Zealand.鈥�
Guitarist Ji Fraser said the reception they received while on the road for their summer tour had been incredible.
鈥淚t was amazing to see how fanatical people were, and excited about being out and seeing live music, and seeing something to drag them out of a long, brutal year,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was very special.鈥�
Walters said they did worry that something could have gone wrong 鈥� that their gigs could have turned into super-spreader events. But he said there was not much to do other than play by the rules and follow the government guidelines.
The band formed thirteen years ago after they started jamming in their rugby changing rooms, making their concert at the hallowed ground of the nation鈥檚 All Blacks rugby team feel like completing a circle.
The band had pushed for changes to civic rules to allow concerts at Eden Park, but not all the
One who objected was former Prime Minister Helen Clark, who said at the time that the concerts would represent a 鈥渉ome invasion鈥� of noise.
鈥淏ut the people wanted it. And the people spoke,鈥� Walters said. The singer added that Clark would have been welcomed at the concert. 鈥淪ix60 is for everyone. And maybe if she came and enjoyed herself, she鈥檇 have a change of heart.鈥�
Promoter Brent Eccles said they got permission to use the venue only at the last moment.
鈥淎nd we thought to ourselves, well, how crazy are we?" he said. 鈥淎nd the answer was, well, pretty crazy. So let鈥檚 do it.鈥�
It's been a heady rise for a group which began as a hard-partying student covers band. Their style has evolved and remains difficult to define, blending elements of reggae, pop, rock and soul.
Bass guitarist Chris Mac said their fans now span rich and poor, young and old.
鈥淲e鈥檙e pretty lucky to have become the soundtrack of people鈥檚 lives. Weddings, funerals, birthdays, engagements," he said, before breaking into laughter. "You know, gender-reveal parties, which are all the rage.鈥�
As the band's popularity grew in New Zealand, it became a kind of sport for critics to knock them for being too bland. Walters said criticism of success remains a problem in New Zealand, and was something that annoyed him at the time. But he said it also energized the band.
鈥淲e are very serious about the music,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important for us to express an emotion and tell a story, and for our songs to be healing and magnetic for people. Because, it鈥檚 not a fluke that we鈥檙e playing to 50,000 people.鈥�
The band has been trying to get more recognition abroad, although six months spent in Germany and a U.S. record deal both ended in disaster, as recounted in a behind-the-scenes documentary about the band 鈥淪ix60: Till The Lights Go Out."
But the band is ready to give it another shot, with a tour of Europe and the U.K. planned for November. They hope that by then, there will be many more places around the world where huge crowds can gather in song.
Nick Perry, The Associated Press
