REVIEW: Haute & Freddy Invite Their Royal Court to a Performance of a Lifetime in Los Angeles
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY FAITH LUEVANOS ☆
Photo Credit: Joey Wasilewski - @pentaxplayboi
LA-BASED DUO HAUTE & FREDDY REMINDED FANS AT A SOLD-OUT SHOW WHAT IT MEANS TO PERFORM – Let it be known to all now, Michelle Buzz and Lance Shipp, the visionaries behind Haute & Freddy, will never play a room this size again. The two are destined for great things, and their performance at The Troubadour solidified that.
As fans, AKA their “royal court,” tightly packed into the infamous venue, you could see bells, whistles, balloon swords, and a sea of jester outfits amongst the crowd. Haute & Freddy are known for their engagement with fans during shows, with Buzz previously mentioning to Luna in a recent interview that, “We are the humble jesters and our fans are royalty.” While on their Tiny Grand Tour, the duo announced dress codes for each show, from clown couture to Broadway bash, all the way to fancy pirates.
As the lights dimmed, two dancers in big fur coats stepped onto the stage as “Big Spender” from Bob Fosse’s Sweet Charity began to play. It was the perfect opening number to slowly immerse the audience into the world of Haute & Freddy. Afterward, a narrator came over the speakers to set the stage for the fairytale world that was about to be brought before the audience. Told as a fairytale, combined with the previous musical number, already fans were amped up as they waited the arrival of their humble jesters.
Haute & Freddy walked onto the stage, Shipp taking a seat at the drums while Buzz overlooked the crowd to view all of their loyal and devoted fans who were joining them there that evening. Let the games begin. Jumping straight into their 2024 release and second single, “Anti-Superstar,” heavy drums and synths from Shipp paired with Buzz’s operatic vocals soared through the room as fans began to dance and find their place in the crowd.
The rest of the performance was nothing short of mind-blowing. Everything from the sound to their stage presence was remarkable, a gift of weird and unique talent that feels perfectly choreographed, yet organic at the same time. Every aspect of the show felt inviting and welcoming to all who stepped foot into the venue that night, from the crowd screaming the words to their hit single “Sophie,” to bringing fans on stage and having them perform a fairytale-like scene in the midst of their performance. Roses were brought by the two to give to the crowd, and it was a beautiful reminder that Haute & Freddy are eternally devoted to their support system, their fans.
As the show came to a close, it was shocking to realize that they had already been performing for an hour. Everyone, including myself, could have stayed in that room for hours listening to their music blast throughout The Troubadour all the way down Santa Monica Blvd.
One thing is for certain, if there was ever a time to join Haute & Freddy’s royal court, it’s now.
