Fat Freddy's Drop, one of the most globally successful bands in New Zealand's history, finally return to Sónar after a long and intense gestation period for “Bays,” their most electronic album to date. Released in the autumn of 2015 it serves as the perfect excuse for them to step right back into their natural habitat: live on stage. Or in this case ‘stages’, since at Sónar they will offer two concerts: Friday at SonarVillage and Saturday at SonarPub. Very few live bands can match what Fat Freddy's Drop have to offer, mixing and combining with extraordinary fluidity dub, funk, soul, reggae, blues, ska and the electronic dance rhythms of house and techno: synthesizers, effects boxes and drum machines controlled by the charismatic DJ Fitchie, who forms an integral part of the remarkable sound that underpins the group. Last spring they unsurprisingly filled London’s Brixton Academy for two consecutive nights, and in recent years they have toured the world several times over. In 2016, they also won the International Achievement Award at the New Zealand Music Awards.

Fat Freddy's Drop’s line up has hardly changed since its inception in 1999. There are currently seven members, with its instrumental arsenal consisting of guitars, synthesizers, keyboards, drums, vocals and a wind section formed by three musicians. In addition to the group’s alma mater DJ Fitchie, is the special and instantly recognizable voice of Joe Dukie, always adding supreme warmth to their compositions. Their career includes albums such as “Based On a True Story” (2005) and “Blackbird” (2013); including global hits like “Midnight Marauders” and “Ernie”, all released on their own label, The Drop. Their first and only Sónar performance to date in 2006 is still regarded as one of the finest and most magical moments in the festival's history. We welcome them once again with open arms.

www.fatfreddysdrop.com
soundcloud.com/fat-freddys-drop