Every decade is distinctive in our minds. The 1960’s were full of women with short dresses and bee hive haircuts, the 70’s were full of flower power, men with long hair, and jeans with huge flairs. The 80’s made its mark with its mullets, big perms, shoulder pads, scrunchies and stonewash jeans.

Then came the 90’s: a decade that introduced Microsoft Windows, Furbies, Tamagotchi’s, and the lineup from the So Pop concert making its way around Australia.

Last Friday night saw A Word From Brett travel to Sydney to see the second instalment of So Pop. The concert took place at Quodos Bank Arena next door to Sydney’s ANZ Stadium; the air electric as viewers mainly aged from 25-35 made their way inside the arena. What struck me was how many girls arrived wearing pig tails and face glitter, jumping and singing in excitement as Aqua’s Doctor Jones and Spice Girls’ Wannabe played over the loudspeaker.

 

Sadly due to other life commitments, A Word From Brett arrived in time to see the second half of Two Unlimited’s performance. This was followed by Eiffel 65, best known for their hit singles Blue (Da Ba Dee) and Move Your Body.

The further on the evening progressed, the more nostalgia and memories returned to me as a child enjoying this music.

The Irish girl band B*Witched enlightened fans with a beautiful performance of Rollercoaster, Weatherman, a cover of Ed Sheeran’s Galway Girl, followed by C’est la Vie; the song we were all waiting for from them.

Boy band Blue delighted the audience with several of their cool, romantic hits before The Vengaboys took to the stage, bringing every audience member to their feet with Boom Boom Boom Boom and We’re Going to Ibiza!

For me personally, the entire evening was a suspense building exercise as I waited for one of my favourite bands; a band which could only ever be eclipsed by the Spice Girls: Aqua.

This Danish (just like the pastry) band starring Lene` Nystrøm, René Dif, Soren Rasted and past member Claus Norreen. They formed in 1989, and from 1997 achieved worldwide success with singles like Roses Are Red, Barbie Girl and Doctor Jones, also releasing two albums: Aquarium and Aquarius.

In 2001, after selling 33 million copies of their albums, the band went their separate ways, but reunited in 2008 and performed 8 shows in Denmark. In 2009, Aqua released Aqua: Greatest Hits, which featured three new songs. The group went on to release their third album Megalomania in 2011.

In 2016, it was announced that the group would be reuniting to tour Canada with two other 90’s bands and would be performing as part of the So Pop lineup.

 

I have never been able to understand why people cry and faint at concerts, but after watching Aqua perform at So Pop, I think I understand.

I was one of many to know every last word to My Oh My, Barbie Girl, Doctor Jones, Cartoon Heroes, and every other hit on the setlist. However, my emotions peaked when the piano started and Lene` began to sing Turn Back Time. The sadness and passion behind this song, complemented by Lene`’s strong vocals throughout was definitely the highlight of the evening for me. Check out the recording below!

 

The entire evening was surreal and incredible, and in all honesty I left on a high with nothing but a smile on my face as we left the arena.

As I’ve gotten older, I have come to believe that taste in music is generational, and what you grow up with definitely leaves its mark on you as a person.

I must wonder what my grandparents first thought of bands like ABBA, and the Bee Gees when they first came out. Did my parents and others their age get the usual, “What is this garbage you’re listening to?”, as they blasted it on their old boomboxes? I must laugh though, because we will probably never have a straight answer to this. The sad reality is: every generation feels that theirs is better than the last and the next.

However, one thing I know for sure is that it takes an incredible person, or group of people to make music which evokes such emotion and reaction in people like Aqua did to me last Friday night. So, I just want to say a huge kudos to Aqua and every other band from So Pop concert, and all the best with the rest of the tour!

 

All my love until next time,

xoxo, Brett