Last night I decided to go to Sza’s first ever concert at Spark Arena in Auckland last night and it's the best concert I’ve ever seen in my whole life.
This concert has completely changed how I view live performance and I don’t know if another artist can ever measure up to what I witnessed. The experience was so ethereal that I’ve already decided to go and watch it tomorrow from the floor on Monday!
Spoilers aren’t my thing so I decided to go into this concert completely ‘Blind’. I’ve waited over seven years to see Solána Imani Rowe live in person so I wanted to ensure that my experience was completely my own. Sza acknowledged that the last time she was here she played at the Logan Campbell Centre but now she’s upgraded to selling three shows at Spark Arena. Talk about a glow-up.
The merch was solid and there’s something there for everyone! I decided to buy the navy blue trucker hat and a black hoodie that had Sza’s face on it. The price for both items came to $170 which is the same as my rent but luckily my boyfriend’s card hit the reader before mine could!
Before the concert started the DJ was pulling out the best pre-show music I’ve ever heard. As I looked around the arena I could see groups of friends dancing, sisters recording themselves lip-syncing to the lyrics and grown men belting out “HANDS ON YOUR KNEES”. Everyone at the concert was there for the music and you could feel the excitement throughout the whole of Spark Arena.
I couldn’t stop laughing at the sound and lighting technicians who were teasing the audience. During the DJ mix pre-sza there would be occasional teases such as the lights getting dim or the music fading out. Each time people who were grabbing drinks would have to pause for a second just to turn straight back around after the laughs!
When the concert first started I was immediately blown away by the stage. Visually the graphics took us on a journey through Sza’s different eras and perfectly reflected how the lyrics made you feel. It was jaw-droppingly gorgeous and it doesn’t surprise me that an Aquarius singer like Sza would take advantage of new technologies the way she did.
The choreography was INTENSE and I was taken aback by Sza’s breath control. THE GIRL WAS TWERKING HER BOOTY OFF WHILE SERVING HER LYRICS ON A SILVER PLATTER! Her dancers were in sync and moving like a slick ship. Dancing isn’t a medium that normally inspires me but by the end of the concert, I was convinced that I should try recreating all the moves.
Sza’s vocals felt like she was spoon-feeding me, warm honey, during a cold winter. I didn’t hear a single flat note once! Every riff was perfectly sung and you could tell it was her vocals. As a fan, you can sometimes feel ripped off when your favourite artist doesn’t sound as good live as they do in their songs. I’d like to argue that Sza’s vocals are even better live and there is no question that she’s one of the best singers to grace this earth.
The thought of going to a concert alone TERRIFIES ME, but this one was so life-changing I’ve decided to grow up and attend Monday's show all by myself. If you’re thinking of getting a ticket to Sza’s show, I highly recommend it! This is the best concert I’ve witnessed and I know I’d regret not seeing magic all over again.
If you’re heading to Monday’s show alone and are just as scared as me, please find me! I’ll be on the right side in the middle of the stage because I’m desperate to make eye contact with Sza.
You can buy tickets to Sza’s shows here, see you there besties!
