In the build up to the UEFA Champions League final, the football association partnered with Rockstar Energy Drink to host an array of activations in London, one of which included the return of the iconic Friday Night Show.
The pre-match fixture was once a marker of a big footballing weekend, broadcasting live performances from global music artists during Friday night TV scheduling. Marking five years since the last installment, the show was brought back with a stellar concert from Rudimental who performed at London’s Trafalgar Square – just over 10 miles from host stadium, Wembley.
In line with UEFA Champions Innovate Program, Rockstar Energy Drink implemented an energy-generating dancefloor into the square to help power the gig. Crafted by Pavegen, the tiles are designed to convert kinetic movement given off by crowds of dancing fans into energy that is both off-grid and clean. The brand hopes to use this technology again in the future as it plans to host more music events with the football association.
Through connecting the worlds of music and football, the latest activation comes as part of Rockstar Energy Drink’s mission to cultivate more credibility in the music industry. With the launch of its Press Play platform last year, the brand has encouraged fans to press play on the things they love to do the most, providing them with access to music and events, such as the Friday Night Show.
Reflecting on the activation, Bart LaCount, Vice President of International Beverages Marketing at PepsiCo, stated, “Our partnership with Pavegen not only aligns with our wider PepsiCo Positive sustainability efforts but also echoes Rockstar Energy Drink’s ethos of promoting positive energy. Witnessing how we, as an Energy drinks brand, provided the energy and experience for our fans, which was then captured through Pavegen’s technology to fuel music performance, felt like a full, and successful circle. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Pavegen in the future, together providing energy to music events throughout the summer.”
Read the exclusive interview with headline act Rudimental before they hit the stage last night below.
Rockstar Energy Drink
Hypebeast: Tell us about the partnership with Rockstar and the Champions League. How did that come about?
Piers: Well, there hasn’t been a show for five years at the Champions League, and Rockstar had put on this amazing show, engaging fans to press play — to go from work to play, and to enjoy this amazing occasion with some music.
Kesi: I think that’s something Rudimental is always been about, you know, it’s all about having fun and doing the things that you love. Yeah, wicked man.
Performing in such a historic location like Trafalgar Square, how do you plan on turning a tourist attraction into an epic music experience?
Piers: I just got the Tube here! [laughs] It’s nice to just get the Tube to work and play some music. We’re gonna play some new music as well, so it’s quite exciting for us.
Kesi: It’s such a historic place, you know, so I’m sure that the energy out there in a crowd — and for us on stage — is gonna be up there.
How much do you think the worlds of football and music are intertwined?
Kesi: They’re hugely intertwined. Especially for us, growing up in east London, it felt like all we wanted to do was be footballers or be in the music industry. We didn’t see any other career really. Myself, Piers and Locky used to play semi-pro football together years back, so it has always been a key part of keeping us sane and out of trouble. It’s something that we love to do and music’s another thing that we love to do — they are perfectly intertwined.
How does it feel to be involved in the rebirth of the Friday Night Show after a five-year hiatus?
Piers: Super exciting! Particularly this final with the teams that are in it. Real Madrid and Jude Bellingham, Jadon Sancho and Borussia Dortmund, I think it’s exciting even though there’s no English team involved. What an occasion to be able to play the night before and then see the game tomorrow.
Do you guys have any special surprises up your sleeves for the performance?
Piers: We’ll be playing some new music, definitely. We’re working on our new album, which is due for release… soon-ish [laughs]. Some new singles, some old songs as well. We’ve been really busy working on edits and the visuals for our show, so this is a chance to test them out on this crowd tonight.
How long has the new album been in the works?
Kesi: Probably a year and a half now. It’s been nice because we’ve been fully focused on it. We haven’t got too many shows this year because we just want to spend our time in our studio to get the album right. I guess it’s us coming back to London and all being present for a while, not being on the road so much, and soaking up the city’s energy and vibes. It’s bringing us back to our youth and where we grew up.
It’s a big summer of sport and the Euros are happening very soon. Any predictions?
Kesi: England win!
Piers: Yeah, we’ve got such an exciting team, I think they’ve got a good chance. We’re always this hopeful before every tournament, but I think we do have a particularly exciting team and I think [England coach Gareth] Southgate has got it in him to get us over the line. So, yeah, come on England! [laughs]
What do you think the future holds for Drum n Bass?
Piers: It’s such a strong culture in this country. It’s been around since the ‘90s and I think it will be around for another 20 years, 30 years, or longer. It’s great to see the youth enjoy Drum n Bass in its new form. There are lots of young producers coming through, like Skepsis who we just collaborated with. It’s exciting. It’s in an exciting place.
Kesi: It’s exciting to see it grow globally. All over the world, you’re starting to see different pockets where it’s starting to gain traction – it’s quite exciting in America. It’s opened up a whole new world, I guess, through social media and how people listen to music, all the different platforms and how people hear music. Yeah, it’s a super exciting time.
To find out more about Rockstar Energy Drink Friday Night Show, head to the brand’s website now.
