Fred Again cooks up a storm in Glasgow for first USB2 show

Fred Again b2b with ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U in Glasgow, 03.10.25

Fred again.. proved why he’s Britain’s most loved live DJ. ten cities, ten songs, one transcendent night.

Six hours of travel from London, soaked to the bone and wind-whipped by Scottish rain, Glasgow was already charged up with anticipation. Fred again.. was kicking off his USB002 tour at the SEC (his only UK date) marking the first of ten shows across ten cities worldwide. With little known about what the new “USB” era would bring, mystery hung in the air: what would the production look like, how is the show structured, and which of the unreleased tracks might make an appearance? Outside, Storm Amy thrashed the city. Inside, thousands gathered ready to witness their own kind of storm.

Supporting were ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U and HAAi - both bringing something completely different. Yousuke’s bold, experimental style isn’t for everyone, but when he went b2b with Fred, it hit hard especially when they dropped the flex fm Freddit. HAAi followed with high-energy, heavy-drum nostalgia that felt like a nod to old-school rave culture.

Glasgow’s SEC Centre lit up for Fred Again..

One thing you can’t takeaway from this show was it definitely didn’t skimp on value with over five-plus hours of pure energy. Fred hit the stage around 7:40pm, playing a short solo set before handing things over for a string of back-to-backs which he dipped in and out of. He returned at around 11, closing out until nearly 1am.

Up front, the sound system was ridiculous, ear-bursting bass that hit you square in the chest. The room design was special to see in person, a mesh-like ceiling that moved up and down like a wave, scattered with glowing bulbs that shifted colour throughout the night. When the ceiling dropped, it almost felt like the room itself was breathing, shrinking the massive SEC into something strangely intimate.

As for the set itself, it wasn’t all Fred tracks, which made it even more exciting, especially for someone who’s seen him four times now. The selections were unpredictable yet effortless, shifting between edits and collabs that kept the crowd guessing. The new USB002 material sounded unreal; that unreleased Sammy Virji track with Rihanna vocals has been all I’ve been thinking about since I heard it.

Fred’s Glasgow track from USB002 was You’re A Star, sampling none other than Australian punk legends Amyl and the Sniffers. It’s proof that Fred is a man of taste, and that his ear for unexpected samples is unmatched.

View from dancing at the back.

During his set, the talented producer brought out Irish rapper Blanco for their collab Solo. Blanco jumped onto the decks, bouncing in time with the crowd, feeding off every beat as the energy surged through the room.

By the end, I’d drifted to the back for a much needed water break and realised it was the best move. From there, you could see the wave-like visuals in full, rippling above the crowd like clouds. The last 30 minutes were utterly euphoric, dancing with strangers, spinning around, arms falling loose, laughter and light everywhere.

Fred Again.. closed by honouring Scotland’s own Paolo Nutini, calling him “one of the greatest to ever do it.” Hearing thousands of voices bellow Through the Echoes together was simply beautiful.

There was a moment, somewhere near the end, when I noticed a few people who’d come alone - just smiling, joining dance circles, completely free. It’s hard to put into words, but it was moving. In a room of thousands, everyone seemed to see each other. For a night that started in a storm, it ended as something entirely human, warm, communal, and full of love.