Fridayz Live

Rod Laver Arena

The iconic Rod Laver Arena is a buzz with R&B fans crammed in to see some of the biggest names in the industry gathered together for an epic night of entertainment.

The air is electric as the evening kicks off with Lumidee followed by Dru Hill then Jay Sean. Everyone’s favorite Jamaican Shaggy manages to get things going pretty quickly. One thing anyone can say about Shaggy is that he knows how to captivate an audience – and move his hips.

As Ashanti takes to the stage clad a red and black skin tight number, fans are taken back 20 years to re-live some of her greatest hits. If there was a time to dance, then the time is now. Ashanti’s back up dancers lead the way, showing everyone how its done, and how to get down.

Smooth crooner Craig David is a bundle of energy, moving all over the stage. The  Seven Days singer powers through several medleys giving fans a taste of all his hits. Singing ‘ Walking Away’ the song that launched his career has the whole crowd singing along with him, and again we are collectively transported back twenty years, to simple times when dancing at the club was all that mattered.

Akon raises the bar with his performance and by now things are starting to get a little loose.  Climbing into the crowd towards the end of his set, the audience becomes hysterical at the idea of being so close to one of RnBs biggest stars. Phones are raised in the air, hands reach out to touch and its one hell of an electric vibe.

The gorgeous girls of TLC Rozonda ” Chilli” Thomas and Tionne ” T-Boz”  Watkins look especially fabulous decked out in silver and diamante outfits. Chilli is a bundle of energy, dancing all over the stage while T-Boz takes a more reserved approach to the performance. They are a dynamic duo, performing hits ‘ Waterfalls’ and ‘ Unpretty’.

By the time Macklemore hits the stage the crowd are super pumped and the party is in full swing. Running onto the stage dressed in a green tracksuit, Macklemore surprises the crowd with an appearance by Tones & I. The ‘ Thrift Shop’ singer certainly is here to entertain and the crowd is enraptured.

Fridayz Live has always been a epic event for a swag of RnB’s best artists to showcase their music and offers something for everyone. For one night fans gather to dance, drink and create memories. A return to Australian shores after a hiatus has been a welcome home for some of the biggest artists of the genre and has certainly been a night to remember.

Words and images by Amanda Lee Starkey