How Fred Again's "USB002" Album Rollout & Tour Serves as Event Inspiration
As you may know if you’ve been following me for a while, music and entertainment heavily influence my lens on event and experience planning.
On LinkedIn and Instagram, I've shared my experiences at Beyoncé's Lemonade and Renaissance tours; my superfan perspective of Dave Matthews Band shows; the once-in-a-lifetime Missy Elliott show I attended in 2024, and most recently, The Knocks, Dragonette & Aquaria's Revelation experience in New York.
From community building, to audience engagement, to sound, lighting, and stage design, there is much we can learn from each live entertainment experience.
Fred Again and the USB0002 Tour
Last year, I was endlessly inspired by British singer, songwriter, DJ, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer Fred Again... and the rollout of both his USB album and the 10 Weeks. 10 Songs. 10 Cities tour. When streaming services released the tracklist for the album, it first listed only the track numbers and did not feature the ability to stream in its entirety. What made this rollout unique is that each song and music video was released and recorded in conjunction with live experiences across the globe, and that clips were almost immediately available to view on social media. Some of the songs that went viral on social media were the last tracks to be filled in on streaming services. Because of this, fans relied on clips from the live shows to feel connected and bought-in, thus giving a reason to follow along with the IRL experiences.
What's more, the artist partnered with friend and jeweler Will Sharp, who created a custom, limited edition 'USB' necklace in commemoration of the phenomenon (see below Instagram post). Fans were able to purchase a piece of their favorite artists’ history, aside from the Vinyl, CDs and other merch offered online.
The Live-Streamed New Year’s Eve Experience
On New Year’s Eve, Fred Again announced that his 2025 Dublin show would be available on Apple TV+’s Music Live for a limited time on demand, and repeating on Apple Music exclusively for one day only. I watched the entire livestream multiple times and was absolutely blown away by what I saw. The lighting, the art installations, and the crowd engagement...oh my! After viewing many of his shows on social media, to see the intricacies of the design and how much it lent to the audience experience truly left me in awe.
Designer Boris Acket formulated a rave-meets-art-installation piece that involved over 70 feet of fabric, pulleys, weights and much more. The piece floats above the crowd, rising and falling like a living canopy, shifting from calm ripples to clouds-in-a-storm-like waves as the music progresses and the lighting catches it in different ways. When the fabric rises and falls, it creates a more intimate and expansive container for the event each time. I highly recommend you view and follow his Instagram page for endlessly beautiful installations.
Strategic Event Lessons Learned from Fred Again’s USB002 Rollout
Audience Engagement. First and foremost, the audience engagement is masterful. The artist and his team not only thought about the fans that could join in person, the fans that follow on social media and the streaming numbers, but a way to make sure it was all interconnected and part of the experience. Many of his shows are ‘no-phone’ affairs, which makes sure fans are completely present and engaged.
Building Excitement. Next, the strategic album rollout. In September, fans were presented with a 34-song tracklist that left almost every single detail to the imagination. While new songs were released each week, they were simultaneously being ‘released’ at the live shows, giving fans exclusive experiences that they were likely not expecting.
Scarcity. The limited-edition necklaces created something truly unique, special, and that a fan would use again. There are a lot of event planners (myself included!) who should think more strategically about giveaways and ensure our fans, guests and stakeholders are just as excited to receive them as they would be a custom necklace.tion.
Two-Way Communication. For his ‘Feisty…” rollout, Fred Again invited 16-year-old global dance phenom Ian Hotko to his Vancouver concert to live-record a freestyle piece. How, and why, did he find out about this person? Hotko performed to Fred’s song “Rumble” at a Red Bull Dance event in October 2025. It went viral on TikTok, and his fans amplified it on all platforms ensuring that the artist’s team would take notice. Weeks later, it was Hotko’s truly unbelievable performance that served as the sole shot in the “Feisty…” music video. By actually listening to his fans, he created a natural dialogue and brought a much-anticipated experience to life.
Think Global. As a British artist on a global tour, it was imperative that the team think bigger. From collaborations with global artists on the album itself, to hosting experiences in 10 global cities and a ‘residency’ in New York, it was genius to touch all corners of the globe with their campaign.