With explosive performances, heartfelt vocals, and a mysterious moon hanging from the centre - this was ATEEZ in London, 2023.
The arena lights up red, men clad in black cloaks approach the extended stage, and with the mystical wave of a white wand the concert begins. The boys of ATEEZ greet the audience with "New World," haloed by dancers with white lights as they expertly choreograph their way back to the main stage. Dancers in black set the scene by waving the group flags in sync, ready for the boys to jump into their 2020 hit "Answer," changing the - already loud - buzz from the crowd into a sheer frenzy of cheering and excitement. Before the energy can die down they smoothly transition into the subtly seductive "Sector 1" and "The Ring" - where they interacted with ATINY's (ATEEZ fans) in the standing segment. From there they dove in to their fan-favourite 2019 title track "HALA HALA" featuring their infamous beat drop, as well as a glitching stage-cam that switched between the live stage, and a black and white pre-recorded performance for the full artfully "malfunctioning" experience.
The boys left the stage and a VCR played, giving the crowd a moment of rest and prepping them for the next segment. Their return brought about a different energy as they started off with "Dazzling Light" - a more mellow yet fun choice. They then took to showcasing their impressive vocals with the stirring "Mist," ending the segment by belting into old-school standing microphones. It was here the show took pause, and the members each took a moment to express their joy at being able to revisit and perform again in London. They remained on stage, keeping the sentiment as they moved to "Sunrise," eliciting a tender reaction from the crowd as they softly sang along and waved their Lightiny's (the ATEEZ official lightstick) in unison, before ending with the slightly more upbeat "My Way."
The concert took another pause with another shorter VCR, before they returned to the stage brandishing large ballons and releasing them into the audience. The cheery atmosphere escalated as they performed "Illusion" and "Wave" while ATINY's, and the boys themselves, had fun batting the balloons around the arena - witnessing notoriously playful member Wooyoung launch one at their Maknae (youngest) Jongho, which immediately bounced off right at their Captain Hongjoong, who comedically made a show of falling.
not wooyoung hugging jongho after the ball he threw at him bounced off him and hit hongjoong on the head 😭pic.twitter.com/5qVMTBFd3D
— hongjoong doing things (@khjactivity) February 22, 2023
The members then took a moment to display the colour-changing feature of the Lightiny's, changing them from flashing white, to red and yellow to represent red buses and Big Ben - as per the member's request.
"It's brighter than the stars." - Seonghwa, on the flashing white Lightiny's.
The dancers returned with the group flags and ATEEZ raised the energy once more with "WIN" and the mysterious "Horizon," featuring Yunho's daring jump onto a group of dancers on the path between stages. But it wasn't long until the crowd was hyped to the next level with their fan-favourite "Say My Name" - having nearly the entire audience singing word for word. After the next VCR break they returned in all black techwear for the scandalously captivating "Cyberpunk" - beginning with San's infamous chair choreography, which Yeosang and Hongjoong later recreated, and an infamous "Fix On" from Mingi. They moved on to more fan interactions on the extended stage with the "Heat-topping" remix of "I'm the One" and "ROCKY," before bringing the energy back through the roof with "Wonderland," causing ATINY's to jump along with their dynamic choreography back on the main stage. Though that was no match for what was to come after the break.
A familiar beat, and the crowd went wild as the boys performed their notoriously aggressive "Guerilla." ATINY's took the lyrics "Break the wall" almost literally as the arena shook with their enthused roars awhile ATEEZ boasted their power on stage. The mood drastically shifted when the members returned from a break with the tender "Turbulence," once again showcasing their vocal ability, and a formidable harmonisation between Jongho and San. Captain Hongjoong then teased that it was time for their final song, as staff brought out florally decorated standing microphones for their cheerful performance of "Celebrate." However, after the final sentiments, they proceeded to the encore with the true final performance of the night, "The Real." A bold and energetic song with an equally hype choreography - the perfect way to end.
With a final burst of confetti, the song was over. The members took a bow with their dancers, thanked their staff, and with a chant of their slogan "Eight makes one team!" they took a final bow, and left the stage.
It's safe to say that ATEEZ definitely left an impact on London that night, and we can do nothing but anticipate their (hopefully) soon return.
Were you at the concert? Let us know your thoughts, and be sure to stick around KpopWise for more updates on all your favorite Kpop artists and idols!