Gig review: Basshunter in Auckland

Swedish dance sensation Basshunter thrilled a young crowd for the second night in a row in Auckland. Reviewer Feilidh O'Dwyer was there.

Basshunter
Where: TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre
When: Tuesday, October 6

Basshunter's boppy beats, gorgeous back-up dancers and confident stage manner impressed the young crowd at the TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre.

The Swedish singer's second performance in Auckland, following a sold out show on Monday - and before travelling to Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin - was well attended by all ages.

The audience of around 4000 was predominantly comprised of teens and tweens - and a couple of toddlers. A large group of parents also came along, but they largely confined themselves to the seats at the rear as their kids surged to the front.  

Basshunter - real name Jonas Altberg - came on stage at 9.40pm after the crowd had been well warmed up by Colorado sensations 3OH3! and Auckland group Smashproof.

Smashproof had the crowd rocking as they rattled off their hip-hop hits, including crowd pleaser Brother - the song that stayed at No. 1 for 11 consecutive weeks.

30H3! - comprised of Sean Foreman, Nathaniel Motte and their DJ - were animated and energetic with enough air humps and crotch grabs to make you think back to the good old days of Michael Jackson.

The young crowd were pulling 30H3! hand signals in their droves. Starstruck got the biggest reaction, but constant references to their testicles and the introduction to Don't Trust Me - "This song will make you want to have sex with yourself" - may have gone over the heads of the young crowd.

Accompanied by an entourage of six scantily-clad beauties, Basshunter had the stage presence of a well-seasoned pro.

Once on stage, he admitted he had butterflies but confidently involved the audience in each of his performances.

He started out with Angel of My Heart and the crowd was with him, singing when prompted and screaming often. All I Ever Wanted was next, with his back up dancers put to good use, gyrating around in their sparkly gold outfits.

During a between-song break, he gave an interesting interpretation on the tune, "If you're happy and you're know it" - changing the lyrics to, "If you're sexy and you know it." The parents at the back did not look impressed.

Basshunter seemed surprised that so many of the audience were singing along to Boten Anna and asked how many were Swedish. A suspiciously large number of hands flew up.

He sang I Can Walk On Water I Can Fly which got all but the sternest parents up and dancing - including a woman with a toddler on her shoulders jumping up and down. The child seemed a bit non-plussed at all the noise.

Basshunter explained that his English was bad, but he had a noticed a pattern in his English songs: They're mostly about love. He then got a bit sappy and told the audience, "I am in love ... with you."

When he left the stage the crowd screamed for more so he came back, took his top off, put it on his head and sang chart-topper Now You're Gone.

He then thanked all those who made his show possible including the security guards, his previous acts and the crowd. His total performance lasted just over an hour and it was high energy the whole way.

* What did you think of the show? Post your comments below.

- © Fairfax NZ News