Concert review: So Pop – Spark Arena, 5 Feb 2019

Like one giant intermediate school social, complete with glow-sticks and party poppers, So Pop was an immersive flashback to a bygone time of carefree partying, denim dungarees and butterfly hair clips.

With Kiwi legend Suzanne Paul acting as MC (while wearing a dress that sparkled like thousands of luminous spheres) and a line-up of artists that could easily have all made it on to that mixed tape you made for your crush, the audience was there to relive a time and a feeling.

I arrived just in time for Lou Bega’s Mambo No. 5, where he proved he still has the dance moves and energy of 20 years ago was a hit with the crowd, getting everyone up on their feet to dance and sing along.

Get Ready For This from 2 Unlimited had the Bring it On fans present busting out their best jazz hands and practising their cheer-leading moves.

Eiffel 65 delivered what the audience wanted with the hit single Blue (Da Ba Dee), a song that is always good for a sing-along (there’s something very compulsive about that Da Ba Dee).

B*Witched provided a Rollercoaster of a good time, breaking out the brolly’s for Blame It on the Weatherman and finishing up with a rousing rendition of C’est la Vie.

The women in the room all felt a bit hot when boy band Blue belted out a very sensuous Too Close, but the opening All Rise was the true crowd pleaser.

The Vengaboys, who looked absolutely fantastic in outfits that put all the other acts to shame, boarded everyone onto the Vengabus with them, bringing the party with favourites such as Boom Boom Boom Boom and We’re Going to Ibiza. For a time it really felt like we were in Ibiza, as giant beach balls were bounced around the arena and streamers soared overhead.

Headline act Aqua were undeniably the stars of the show, pumping up the audience with their antics and bringing audience members on stage to party along with them (including one fan who was dancing so enthusiastically her dress slipped off – but she didn’t let that stop her making the most of the moment). The chemistry between singers Lene Nystrøm and René Dif was touching to see, and they were obviously having just as much fun as their fans. Crowd favourites included their opening Dr Jones and the ever popular Barbie Girl.

The number of artists who chose to cover songs not their own was slightly disconcerting – for instance the Vengaboys dip into The Black Eyed Peas’ I Gotta Feeling seemed unnecessary, when their own songs were what the audience was there to hear. On the other hand B*Witched’s ABBA mashup, a nod to their contribution to the album “Thank Abba for the Music” was great fun, and seemed fitting to the mood and energy of the event.

Interspersed between acts were DJ’s playing a range of 90’s pop hits, and various audience interactive activities, including a lip-sync battle between Suzanne Paul and an audience member that was an absolute treat.

All in all the concert was an exercise in nostalgia – an opportunity for the audience to watch old favourites perform live once more, and to get back in touch with the optimism and fun that so characterised 90’s pop music.

Rosina Woodroffe

Veronica McLaughlin was on hand to shoot the show. Browse through the galleries below to find photos of your favourites.

Click any image to view the Aqua gallery

Click any image to view the Vengaboys gallery

Click any image to view the B*Witched gallery

Click any image to view the Blue Gallery

Click any image to view the Eiffel 65 gallery

Click any image to view the 2 Unlimited gallery

Click any image to view the Lou Bega gallery