The New Zealand instalment of the Childish Gambino (Donald Glover) curated Pharos festival began last night and it has received mixed reviews. Fans have taken to Twitter to express their upset at queues to get inside taking up to two hours, and a lack of drinks and toilet availability.
https://twitter.com/PhoebeFletcher/status/1066079733887131648
Tickets to the three-day festival cost $200 per night, and whilst outside of Gambino’s performance in the main dome there were other stages boasting sets from artists curated by the artist himself, most attendees found themselves missing out as they waited to be allowed into the main dome stage for the headlining performance.
One punter took to Twitter to explain that the dedicated Pharos shuttle from Auckland airport took over three hours to get to the festival. Another attendee called it the “biggest heist of 2018“. One Twitter user called the festival “the most expensive queue I’ve ever been in.”
https://twitter.com/wikitiwoo/status/1066084532103766016
Seriously, @donaldglover — did it not occur to you to build a stage at your Childish Gambino Pharos shows high enough that folk could actually see what was going on? Hardly too much to ask when tickets are $150 a pop.
I’m 6’3” and I struggled to see owt.
— Ko ǝqɐƆɔW ǝʌǝʇS toku ingoa 🇬🇧🇮🇪(🇺🇸)🇳🇿 (@stevedownunder) November 23, 2018
Other complaints took issue with sound quality and staging. Whilst overall most punters seemed happy with the experience, many have warned attendees of the next two nights to be prepared for long queues and to bring plenty of water.
Pharos is the best gig anyone has ever done ever. Be patient. Expect to line up. It’s all worth it and more. Bring water.
— dylan (hollywoo) (@hollywoo_djs) November 23, 2018
Many punters were left upset after only gaining entrance in time to see the end of Childish Gambino’s headlining set. When you’re paying $200 a ticket, you’d expect more than a long time of queueing and a “side of Childish Gambino”.
https://twitter.com/morningsteppa/status/1066049962109095937
On Facebook, one attendee told people heading to the festival for Saturday and Sunday’s performances to “take ear plugs because otherwise the sound is too hard to decipher.” Gambino’s set reportedly featured a bunch of unreleased music as well as recent hit “This Is America“.
Related: Check out Childish Gambino debuting a new song in New York
Outside of complaints, reports from the secretive festival – which required punters to lock up their phones before entering the dome – include 360 degree staging, and projections throughout the dome above the crowds. This was the second ever instalment of Pharos festival, which also boasts a dedicated app to coincide with the experience.
Whilst the sound may not have been ideal at points, most people are reporting Glover was in fine form for his headlining set, performing tracks spanning his entire back catalogue. The festival – which is the only chance for Australasian fans to see Childish Gambino live after his Australian tour cancellation – has two more nights at Auckland’s Tāpapakanga Regional Park.
Watch: Childish Gambino – “Me And Your Mama”
