THOMAS BANGALTER 1/2 of daft punk PERFORMS UK FIRST TIME IN 18 YEARS WITH Fred Again

## Historic Return Breaks 18-Year Silence Thomas Bangalter's last UK performance was alongside Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo at London's Hyde Park for Wireless Festival in 2007, making Friday's Alexandra Palace appearance a moment 18 years in the making. The legendary French artist played his first DJ set in 16 years alongside Fred again.. in Paris last October, but that performance leaned away from the Daft Punk catalog. Fred again.. had teased the set earlier that day, revealing the pair had been "in the studio all week" preparing for "an entire one-off show just for tonight". ## The Set That Stopped Everything The pair ended the set with Daft Punk's "One More Time", teed up with Chuck Roberts' iconic house vocal sample "Jack's House". The setlist included "Technologic," "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," "Around The World," their Weeknd joint "Starboy," and "One More Time" two times. Mashups included Daft Punk's "Aerodynamic" with Fred's "Victory Lap 5" and "Harder Better Faster Stronger" with "Delilah". Bangalter also mixed Gil Scott-Heron's "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" into Usher's "Yeah". When Bangalter stepped up to the decks at Ally Pally, the room erupted, but the real moment came when they hugged - two guys grinning at each other like kids who'd just found the best secret in the world. ## USB002 Residency Culmination The Thursday and Friday shows were the third and fourth nights of Fred's four-night USB002 residency at Alexandra Palace. The first two nights featured performances with Underworld, JME, D Double E, The Streets' Mike Skinner, Blanco, Headie One, Ca7riel & Paco, Jamie T and Ezra Collective. Fred has been sharing a new track from his second USB album and hosting a new show every Friday for 10 weeks since October 3rd, doubling the number of gigs in January and February 2026. ## Beyond The Helmet Legacy Daft Punk were formed in 1993 in Paris by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, achieving massive success with hits like "One More Time", "Digital Love" and "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger". Since Daft Punk officially ended in 2021, Bangalter has largely stepped away from club performances, shifting toward orchestral compositions, film scores, and experimental projects. Following the performance, Bangalter wrote to Fred: "Thank you, my friend, for this special moment and this invitation to end your beautiful tour – it was genuine, sincere, and celebratory in the best possible way". ## Electronic Music's Past Meets Future The collaboration bridges the legacy of French house with the current generation of electronic music performance, representing more than just a surprise guest - it's a rare intersection of two eras coming together on one stage. Swedish House Mafia's Sebastian Ingrosso was spotted watching from the wings, with the trio having namechecked Daft Punk as inspiration for years.