Bloc Party – Spark Arena,12 August 2025: Review & Photo Gallery

13th August 2025

As the vocalist for Bloc Party pointed out mid-way through their set last night, Auckland displayed both an impressive turn out and energy levels for a Tuesday evening. Proving that nostalgia can often be a great motivator.

Here on their Celebrating 20 Years Anniversary Tour, Bloc Party may only boast two of its original members, but that made no difference to the enthusiastic crowd that piled into Spark Arena, and nor should it, with the addition of Louise Bartle on drums (who to be fair has now been with the band for a decade) and the more recent addition of bassist Harry Deacon who joined two years ago and can pull off that English nonchalant stance while wearing perfectly polished dress shoes.

A double international headliner, Young the Giant were in support and were certainly welcomed with open arms, but there was an underlying tension as the crowd grew, fans eager to secure the ideal spot for the headliner.

Arriving right on time at nine, the quartet strode out to massive applause, Bartle immediately settling in behind her drum kit and raising her sticks in the air while clacking them together, the crowd immediately joining her by clapping.

The simple stage layout with an expansive array of lights that bordered the edges sprang to life as the opening notes of So Here We Are almost eased Auckland into what would soon be an explosive set that proved why Bloc Party were instantly one of the greats of the Indie Rock scene when they emerged with their debut album Silent Alarm in 2005.

Both Kele Okereke and Russell Lissack were dressed casually as if about to hit the town for a mid-day coffee, Deacon preferring a more slicked back black ensemble, but there was nothing casual about their incredible performance. All three using their effects boards laid out in front of them to maximum potential.

Known for his magnificent vocal range, Okereke was in fine form, Mercury one of the first tracks of the night to illustrate just what the man can do with a microphone, guitar and often at times throughout the night a looper pedal.

Couple this with lighting that was reminiscent of that early 2000’s scene that entranced while threatening to elicit seizures ensured that fans were completely locked in as Bartle’s backing vocals acted like a chef’s kiss.

Slowing it down momentarily the arena was bathed in facets of blue for Blue Light, Okereke taunting those before him as he threw out an I can’t hear you Auckland which only made everyone raise their voices, much to his delight.

It was a flawless way to segway into the acapella opener of Song for Clay (Disappear Here) that then exploded from the stage with powerful drums and a guitar line that brought that iconic riff front and centre and set off the front rows into a pogoing frenzy.

Unsurprisingly Banquet which followed immediately had attendees squealing in delight, many of those in the seated sections jumping to the feet as the floor section became a mass of bouncing bodies and flailing limbs.

Easily one of their most recognisable hits from their debut it had lost absolutely none of its ferocity and Auckland seized the moment completely, the unadulterated joy emanating throughout the venue a reminder of why live music is just so good for the soul.

Okereke seemed genuinely impressed with their efforts. Did you like that Auckland? Plenty more where that came from – trust and believe!

He didn’t have to tell them twice, they were already eating from the palm of his hand, their excitement increasing as the band launched into Traps from their most recent offering, the 2022 album Alpha Games.

The looper pedal was often used to its full effect by Okereke, while Bartle would often swing sideways to play on an electronic drum pad, the synchronicity of Bloc Party live often resembling street poetry. It was hypnotic and all consuming, whether you were there as a diehard fan or just for the singles. It was impossible not be enamoured with their performance.

The Love Within featured a guitar riff with a consummate downward octave flick of the tail that insisted that your feet stamped in time.

How do you Kiwi’s get down? Do you want to get high? Okereke demanded to know in the throes of the song with a huge grin on his face as the band slid into a rendition of Blue from the High Life EP. A song about true love, its lyricism is simple yet poignant, Okereke moving into higher octaves with ease and grace as rolling drums took the song into the emotive chorus, echoing guitars reverberating gently around its edges.

Positive Tension delved back into their debut album which made up the bulk of the set, the opening bass lines sending ripples through the audience. The slightly off-kilter nature and animated performance of Okereke elevating the song.

Bringing the set to a close with both The Prayer from 2007’s A Weekend in the City which featured a killer drum flourish to take it out, and Like Eating Glass which caused a small mosh pit to break out down front thanks to the fantastically raucous melody and the band quickly left the stage, everyone safe in the knowledge that they would be returning for an encore.

And what an encore it was, consisting of five songs that began with Signs from the Intimacy album, Deacon stepping forward to play the xylophone with such measured accuracy that it was hard to tear your eyes away from watching him.

Rolling straight into The Pioneers, Auckland was giving it everything they had as they knew the end was drawing near, and there was almost a sense of trepidation.

Bloc Party had been mixing up their sets across this Australasian tour with fan favourite tracks playing in one city and not the next…

But Auckland struck gold last night as the final trio of songs tore the roof off. Helicopter came first, the fevered riffs and Okereke vocals that somehow only got better throughout the night had everyone chanting the lyrics in unison while dancing their hearts out.

This Modern Love followed, Okereke joking that everyone before him was dead sexy as the Pop drenched indie vibes of the track twirled their way across the stage.

And taking it out in style was none other than Ratchet, the absolute icing on the cake to an impeccable night of music from the British stalwarts who proved they are only human too, as Okereke messed up the lyrics, took the piss out of himself and then threw himself straight back into it before diving down into the front row for the final lines.

Taking a bow, Auckland loudly declared their appreciation for Bloc Party, a band that clearly demonstrated just why twenty years down the road they can still be counted as one of the best live acts on the scene.

Sarah Kidd