Groove Armada at Gardens Festival review: Far from the final shakedown for 2000s electro legends at NZ’s best summer rave

Now 30 years into a career that’s taken them from the stages of Glastonbury to sold-out tours across the globe, the pair’s throbbing beats and groovy switch-ups have well and truly stood the test of time.

Their incredible DJ set, filled with everything from a Beyonce song to a Bicep blend, topped off what had really been one of the best festivals of the Kiwi summer season.

Positive vibes started early, as local DJ Aroha served up her disco-infused tracks while the sun beat down.

Amid the giant oversized chess inflatables and cleverly placed fake flowers, I spotted plenty of twenty-somethings with their parents, hardened ravers, and even a man with a walking stick who busted out some absolutely incredible dance moves.

Speaking of dance moves, Bag Raiders gave those with the talent (unlike me) an opportunity to use the ample space to their full advantage.

Duo Jack Glass and Chris Stracey doubled down on the disco beats, including their hit 2009 song Shooting Stars, which also saw one of the biggest singalongs of the night.

Then came a huge surprise, the soulful voice of American singer Robin S (Robin Jackson Maynard) erupting from the stage with her much-sampled hit Show Me Love (1993).

“Do you realise this song is older than some of you?” she joked, as a lad in the front row gave her a bunch of roses.

For those who doubted her powerful pipes, she even let out a short acapella performance to thunderous applause.

Belgians David and Stephen Dewaele (Aka. Soulwax, aka, 2manydjs) were up next, and they were the perfect predecessor to the main event.

They won hearts from the get-go with house renditions of Th’ Dudes Walking in Light and ABBA’s Voulez-Vous, which were also accompanied by an impressive visual display.

By now the sun was setting and the dance floor was filling up with smiling, happy people in full boogie mode.

An air of “rave respect” continued to linger as it had all day, with people allowing one another space to dance, and even going as far as to chat about the awesomeness they were experiencing.

“This is the house that funk built, Groove Armada style,” a voice continually boomed throughout the headlining duo’s roughly one hour 30-minute set, in which Superstylin’ acted as a musical motif.

There were no screens used at this point, just smoke, lasers, and an impressive light show that added to the club feel.

As well as sampling plenty from their impressive discography, the pair also managed to slip in songs from the ‘80s, ‘90s and today, leaving no stone unturned when it came to pleasing the masses.

It was a powerhouse display, with seamless musical transitions and drops and build-ups constructed at just the right time.

And without a word from the pair, but with plenty of smiles and acknowledgment, a final Superstylin’ bid the satisfied ravers farewell into the relatively cool Auckland night.

This very well may have been the last of our “summer” festivals before the brunt of autumn kicks in, and Groove Armada was a more than perfect way to wrap it up.

They may have a song called Final Shakedown, but judging by this epic performance they look far from finished. Here’s hoping they can bring the club back to Auckland again one day soon.

Groove Armada (DJ set) will perform three more New Zealand shows this tour in Queenstown (March 5), Christchurch (March 6), and Wellington (March 7). Tickets are available at: https://www.endeavour.live/event/groove-armada-new-zealand-tour-2025.

Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald’s entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke’s Bay Today.