By Ieuan Holland
Published by Record Collector Magazine
Executive Overview
Nearly 12,000 miles away from the damp, student-town flats of Dunedin where they first formed, multi-platinum New Zealand powerhouse SIX60 achieved a historic milestone on Wednesday, 7th October 2026. Stepping onto the stage of London’s legendary Royal Albert Hall for their Don’t Forget Your Roots tour, the group did not merely perform; they transformed the cavernous, prestigious Victorian auditorium into an intimate, high-energy local gig.
With this sold-out performance, SIX60 cemented their status as global ambassadors of Aotearoa music, entering the history books as only the third New Zealand band ever to headline the historic venue, following in the illustrious footsteps of Crowded House and The Finn Brothers.
Packing the venue to its absolute rafters, the concert was a masterclass in cross-genre musicianship—seamlessly blending ska, reggae, funk, and soulful pop. For the thousands of New Zealand expatriates, travelers, and cultural compatriots in attendance—a crowd notably featuring Black Ferns rugby icon Ruby Tui—the evening was an intensely emotional celebration of identity, belonging, and trans-global community.
Detailed Chronology: An Evening of Connection and Culture
Pre-Show Atmosphere and the Rise to the Stage
The air inside the historic South Kensington venue crackled with anticipation long before the lights went down. The diverse crowd, unified by a shared pride in their antipodean heritage, buzzed as the venue’s classic PA system set the cultural parameters for the night. Bob Marley’s timeless anthem Could You Be Loved rang out across the stalls and boxes, immediately setting a sun-drenched, roots-inflected tone.
As the opening chords faded, a solitary organ player took command of the room, providing a dramatic, atmospheric overture as the members of SIX60 walked out individually to mounting, thunderous applause.
Setting the Tone: "We Made It"
Without missing a beat, the band launched into the aptly titled We Made It. The emotional resonance of the track was instantaneous. When frontman Matiu Walters delivered the lyric, "All of my people here with me," the sold-out room erupted. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy realized in real time: a collection of artists and fans who had traveled across oceans, bound by a shared cultural heartbeat, standing shoulder-to-shoulder in one of the world’s most revered music halls.
Throughout the night, Walters acted as both master of ceremonies and intimate storyteller. Between high-octane numbers, he slowed the pace to spin yarns about the band’s humble beginnings in Dunedin, their evolution as songwriters, and the humbling reality of playing on a stage once graced by the absolute titans of global music history.
The Cultural Pinnacle: Ngāti Rānana and Don’t Forget Your Roots
The emotional apex of the evening arrived during the performance of their signature anthem, Don’t Forget Your Roots. In a breathtaking display of cultural pride and transnational solidarity, the band was joined on stage by members of the Ngāti Rānana London Māori Club.
The collaboration served as a poignant, spine-tingling reminder of the core ethos underpinning the band’s entire global movement: the vital importance of culture, family, and carrying a piece of one’s homeland regardless of geographic coordinates. The visceral power of the performance brought many in the audience—and indeed, members of the band—to tears, turning the concert hall into an enclave of indigenous pride 11,860 miles from New Zealand’s shores.
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| SETLIST HIGHLIGHTS & FLOW |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1. Pre-show Prelude: Bob Marley's "Could You Be Loved" |
| 2. Grand Entrance: Solo Organ Interlude |
| 3. Opening Track: "We Made It" |
| 4. Mid-Set Groove: "Someone To Be Around" (Reggae/Ska Strumming) |
| 5. Introspective Interlude: "Right Here Right Now" |
| 6. Cultural Showcase: "Don’t Forget Your Roots" (feat. Ngāti Rānana) |
| 7. Triumphant Finale: "Up There", "Ghosts", and "White Lines" |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+Supporting Context & Metrics: Sound, Spectacle, and Statistics
Genre-Defying Musicality
To pigeonhole SIX60 into a single genre is to fundamentally misunderstand their broad, eclectic appeal. Over the course of the two-hour set, the band demonstrated a meticulous command of multiple sonic palettes.
Tracks like Someone To Be Around highlighted their mastery of traditional reggae idioms, driven by unmistakable up-and-down rhythm guitar strumming patterns that juxtaposed beautifully against Walters’ soulful, soaring vocal delivery. Meanwhile, bassist Chris Mac anchored the lower frequencies with an effortless, celebratory groove—reportedly keeping a glass full all evening as he navigated complex basslines with casual virtuosity.
Conversely, numbers like Right Here Right Now brought the evening’s tempo down, offering the emotionally charged audience a moment of collective reflection. It was a masterclass in dynamic setlist pacing, allowing fans to step back, catch their breath, and absorb the reality that a piece of home was soundtracking their Wednesday night in the heart of the British capital.
Key Metrics and Historical Context
- Geographic Distance: Approximately 11,860 miles (19,087 kilometers) separating Dunedin, New Zealand, and London, United Kingdom.
- Venue Status: The Royal Albert Hall, London, UK (Capacity: ~5,272).
- Historical Milestone: Only the third New Zealand band in history to headline the Royal Albert Hall, following Crowded House and The Finn Brothers.
- Notable Attendees: Black Ferns rugby star Ruby Tui, alongside thousands of expatriates and international music critics.
- Touring Partners: Ngāti Rānana London Māori Club (special guest collaborators).
The main set roared to a close with an unstoppable triple-threat finale consisting of Up There, Ghosts, and White Lines. These anthems reinforced the band’s stadium-ready capabilities, ensuring that their names will be etched permanently into the venue’s storied archives alongside the world’s most enduring musical legends.
Official Statements and Industry Reception
While the night was primarily driven by organic crowd emotion, the industry reception has been overwhelmingly definitive. Critics and cultural commentators alike have noted that SIX60’s ability to sell out such a historically significant venue without relying on heavy localized radio saturation points to the immense power of diaspora-driven community support.
"When you play a room like the Royal Albert Hall, you feel the ghosts of every artist who ever stood on that wooden floor," noted one backstage observer. "What SIX60 did differently was bring their own ancestors into the room with them. They didn’t just adapt to the venue; they conquered it by bringing Aotearoa directly to West London."
The presence of high-profile cultural figures like Ruby Tui further underscored the national significance of the evening. For New Zealanders abroad, SIX60 has long ceased to be merely a touring rock band; they serve as a living, breathing connection to the South Pacific—a musical lighthouse for those navigating life far from home.
Future Outlook: Global Expansion and Beyond
With their monumental London performance successfully archived in music history, SIX60 shows no signs of slowing down as they navigate the remainder of their rigorous international schedule.
The 2026 Global Itinerary
- Europe: Ongoing club and theatre dates celebrating the release of new material alongside classic multi-platinum cuts.
- North America & Hawaii: An upcoming string of dates in the coming weeks, where the band’s message of cultural roots and community resilience is expected to resonate profoundly with Pacific and indigenous audiences in the islands.
- Asia: Closing out the final quarter of the year with selected major metropolitan festival appearances.
As the boys from Dunedin pack their gear and prepare to board flights toward the Pacific and beyond, the lingering question across the British music scene is not if they will return, but how long UK fans will have to wait for their next dose of trans-hemispheric soul. If Wednesday night proved anything, it is that SIX60’s roots run far too deep, and their global footprint is far too wide, for this to be anything other than a triumphant chapter in an ongoing international legacy.
For remaining tickets to the ongoing international leg of the Don’t Forget Your Roots tour, fans can visit official ticketing partners via Ticketmaster UK.
