Fazerdaze – Takapuna Winter Lights Festival: July 25, 2025
The 13th Floor’s Azrie Azizi caught his favourite band, Fazerdaze, at the Takapuna Winter Lights Festival last night. Here are his words and photos.
“We normally play in grungier settings than this,” Amelia Murray says with a smile, standing beneath a glowing neon constellation, in front of an arcade at the Winter Lights Festival in Takapuna.
This family-friendly event transformed Hurstmere Road into a kaleidoscope of fluorescent lights—trees draped in color, glowing art installations, and awnings twinkling with winter magic. Nestled amongst it all was something unexpected: a silent disco with music curated by none other than Amelia herself. With headphones on, you could dance quietly to her playlist—a collaboration between Spark, Spotify, and Live Nation.
But I wasn’t there for the lights or the silent disco. I was there for Fazerdaze—my favorite Kiwi artist who recently won Album Of The Year and Best Solo Artist during the Aotearoa Music Awards. And even if it was only for a short set, I wasn’t going to miss the chance to see her live.
The performance began at 7 PM, introduced by a whimsical procession of child dancers in capes of fairy lights and two heart-shaped dancers descending the stairs dancing to the beat of their own imagination while kids, school teens and parents danced to the private beat of their headphones. Amelia and her musical partner Dave Rowland took center stage beneath violet beams, the entire scene perfectly echoing the dreamy tones of her latest album Soft Power.
She opened with a classic—Break, from her debut album Break—before moving into newer material from Soft Power. Despite the open-air setting between shopfronts (which didn’t do the acoustics any favors), Amelia’s voice retained its signature ethereal quality. Just her and a guitar, with Dave seamlessly alternating between keys and bass—it was the same intimate setup they used when opening for Finneas. Mellow. Enchanting. Honest.
Honestly, it was a stunning set—gentle and glowing, much like the purple lights that bathed the venue. But I couldn’t help but wish the crowd had appreciated it more. The audience was mostly young kids and their parents out for a fun winter evening. It didn’t seem like many in the crowd knew who Fazerdaze was or what a rare chance it was to see an award-winning artist who’s opened for the likes of Finneas, The National, and soon, Pixies—performing for free.
Still, the vibe stayed true to the evening’s tone. I half-expected Dave to hop into the crowd like he did during Georgia Lines’ set at Music in Parks earlier this year, but he mentioned this was meant to be one of Fazerdaze’s more mellow incarnations. “There are many faces of Fazerdaze,” he said, and that night, it was the soft, chill version.
And honestly? For a Friday night in the glow of purple lights, with the crisp Auckland winter air brushing through the street—it was just right.
During my shoot, I spotted only a couple of fans singing along. But it was comforting to know I wasn’t the only one there for Fazerdaze. After the set, the two who quietly sang along lingered. Dave noticed them, and while we were chatting, he made sure they got to meet Amelia before she headed off to continue prep for her New Zealand Winter Tour, her US tour, and her upcoming support slots for the Pixies.
If you’re reading this and you’ve never seen Fazerdaze live—do yourself a favor. Catch her and her band at Double Whammy on August 14th. You won’t regret it.
Azrie Aziz
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