Two weeks ago, Fred again.. delivered a ‘historic’ headline set with fellow electronic artists Skrillex and Four Tet at one of the world’s biggest music festivals, Coachella, in front of an estimated 100,000 people in the California desert.
Now the London-based producer is preparing to take the stage tonight to perform in front of a sell-out crowd of 200 people in an altogether different setting…a community centre on the Isle of Harris.
The gig takes place at Talla na Mara, the ‘venue with a view’ overlooking Niseaboist Beach on the west coast of Harris, located around a 20 minute drive from Tarbert and an hour from Stornoway.
Owned and operated on behalf of the West Harris community, the multi-purpose arts and entertainment space is home to a restaurant and plays host to everything from exhibitions, workshops, Gaelic lessons and weddings.
Previous artists to have performed at the venue since it opened in 2017 include Canadian folk singer Annie Sumi and Fife singer-songwriter King Creosote.
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Given the secluded location of the centre and limited parking options available for those attending, organisers have put on a return coach service from Stornoway to Talla Na Mara and Tarbert to Talla Na Mara.
The gig represents the last night of a three-date mini tour of the Hebrides by the 29-year-old Grammy-nominated artist - a tour he dubbed ‘the Frayed Atlantic Edge’ - and comes after other shows in Stornoway Town Hall last night and Broadford Hall on Skye last week.
When announcing the mini-tour last month, Fred again.. said his decision to perform on Skye, Harris and Lewis stemmed from both a desire to play in locations where he “wouldn’t usually get to play”, alongside his fond memories of previous trip on “the mad train up to Mallaig”.
Coachella set is on YouTube now@FourTet @Skrillex https://t.co/mOowhPSbyh pic.twitter.com/cUphy8uMAZ
— Fred again.. (@fredagainagain1) May 7, 2023
Following the show in Broadford, Fred again.. shared a video with his 1.3 million Instagram followers of a chat he had with a “lovely” local knitting group at the hall, before revealing that he had to delay his soundcheck because of the school assembly.
Commenting on Fred again..’s visit to the Western Isles, a Comhairle nan Eilean Siar spokesperson said: “Individuals from the Western Isles travel across the world at great expense to enjoy their favourite musicians live.
“To have an artist like Fred Again make the reverse journey to Lewis and Harris is fantastic to see, especially given his popularity amongst local young people.
“Fred again... and his team should be commended for taking this decision and for their approach to ticket sales that ensured priority was given to local fans.”
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Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, added: “It is great to see renowned musicians like Fred again.. choosing to travel to our islands to allow fans here to experience the kind of gig they might otherwise have to travel to the mainland to enjoy.
“The Western Isles has always had a strong and varied musical identity, historically and to the present day, with many of our islands’ own artists enjoying international success.
“The fact that such a high-profile artist has chosen to play at Talla na Mara and at Stornoway Town Hall is a testimony to the determination of island organisations and businesses in their work towards local cultural and economic development.”
Having collaborated behind-the-scenes with artists such as Ed Sheeran, Stormzy and Rita Ora, Fred again.., whose real name is Frederick John Philip Gibson, has since enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame following the release of debut single solo single ‘Kyle (I Found You)’ in 2019.
Last year saw him win Best Live Act at DJ Mag’s Best of British Awards and nominated for Best Dance Act at the Brit Awards and Song of The Year at The Grammy Awards for his songwriting and production role on Ed Sheeran’s ‘Bad Habits’.
However it was his live set for online music broadcaster Boiler Room which propelled him to superstardom - a set which, since being uploaded in July last year, has racked up over 18 million views to date.
Indeed, such is his global appeal that British electronic dance and clubbing magazine Mixmag noted in March that the world had ‘entered the era of ‘Fred Againia’, likening it to ‘the Beatlemania that spread from Liverpool to the ends of the Earth in the '60s’.
The gigs on both Lewis and Harris follow the release of Fred again..’s new album Secret Life – a partnership with iconic British musician, composer and record producer Brian Eno.
Following his visit to the Hebrides, the London producer will embark on a 13-date world tour that will see him perform at festivals such as Primavera Sound in Barcelona, Lollapalooza in Chicago, Glastonbury Festival and at Connect Music Festival in Edinburgh.
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