All eyes will be on Fred again on Saturday night… he is the headliner for this edition of Lowlands. But the high expectations were not met: the huge size of Alpha was too much for the pop DJ, who has made intimacy and closeness his image.
It’s hard to imagine that Fred was never heard of again… two and a half years ago. But now he’s the biggest name on the Lowlands roster, and that popularity was already noticeable an hour before the show. The entire festival grounds were packed for the British dance producer and multi-instrumentalist’s performance. He’s an act that fits right in with Lowlands, appealing to alt-pop fans, rap fans, and everyone in between (like your mum). Everyone comes to dance at Fred.
Joyhor
But those who have that desire are partly disappointed. That’s clear from the start: there’s no victory in sight for the first 10 minutes. Fred seems intent on telling a nuanced and objective story here tonight, but the question is whether many people will care. That quickly leads to a big debate over the weekend, and there’s plenty of chatter, especially on the hills and at the back of the stadium, in anticipation of the dance anthems.
They come up every now and then, but then they always drop off again. And it’s a theme throughout the set: too much talk, not enough bangers. Frederick John Philip Gibson’s sweet, sentimental boy act might actually fit a smaller concert hall much better than the giant Alpha Hall. Plus, the sound evaporates outside the tent, making it hard to hear outside. If you’re interested in following Fred’s long stories, you won’t be able to do so because of the crackling sound.
In the middle of alpha
Of course there are highlights. Suddenly, Fred appears again… in the middle of the audience on stage. Not long after, the stage turns out to be an aerial platform and he rises above the audience. For the first time, visitors can also see the artist in question (but not hear him yet) outside the tent. Audience favorites “Places to Be”, “Maria (We Missed Dancing)” and “Adore You” get the audience moving. Romy will come to perform “Strong” together.
This in itself has enough highlights for a headline-worthy set, but because they always have to be introduced or explained with minutes of context about how the record was made or the feel of the track, all the flow is taken out of the show. The whole thing feels a bit dull, especially after the thunderous performance that Justice put on yesterday.
Fans will point out that this is unique: someone who doesn’t want to attack, but wants to tell a story. He wants to be emotional and express his feelings in his set. Unlike all the other DJs who just want to push some buttons, he wants to take his audience not only to their highest highs, but also to their lowest lows. There’s something to be said for that, but then you need an audience that really wants (and can) pay attention all the time, and that can be a lot to ask for on these kinds of massive stages.
So the Lowlands main stage seems too big for the emotional ballads of one of the most sympathetic artists on earth. Increase the beats per minute, or reduce the audience numbers: the choice is up to Fred.
Lowlands 2024
Biddinghuizen, Netherlands
date
16-18 August 2024
Tickets
Sold out.