R&b
“Rain is pouring down/Ambition in my veins/ATEEZ, go/Raise your glass for us/Make some noise/Just for this moment, woah”
At Washington D.C.’s Capital One Arena, vocalist Jongho sings these lines with conviction. K-pop eight-piece ATEEZ is brazen in their lyricism, a sentiment that has manifested in every aspect of their career.
Following their Coachella debut in April of this year, the band truly had everything at their fingertips: a loyal and loving fanbase (christened ‘ATINY’, a coalescence of the group’s name and ‘destiny’), a wide-ranging discography, and an admirable level of devotion to their work. Having embarked on the US leg of their fifth headliner tour Towards the Light: Will to Power, they’ve proven there’s much more to them than meets the eye.
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Simply put, the octet thrives on stage. Comprised of members Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho, ATEEZ is known for being passionate performers—so much so that the intensity of their “Break the wall” chant during EDM rock track ‘Guerilla’ went viral, garnering attention from fans and non-fans alike. Serving as the title track for the group’s first Billboard 200 #1 album, ‘Crazy Form’ opened the night with a bold statement: in their own words, ATEEZ is here to change the game.
A performance of ‘Say My Name’, a defining staple of their discography, fittingly followed. Released when they were bright-eyed rookies, even now their tenacity remains ever the same. They went on to perform ‘WIN’, an EDM trap song that features some of the group’s most difficult footwork. By the time the lights dim and the members make their exit, energy is high. It’s a moment where many might expect a breather, but ATEEZ’s live shows are unwavering, and it’s exhilarating to keep up.
For those unfamiliar with ATEEZ, their music and performances immediately draw the eye. However, there’s an added layer to their journey. A storyline worth its own novel is woven into their every project, creating a world-building endeavor like no other. Captivating in and of itself, the members struggle against an oppressive government for the right to express themselves through music. Performing is their means of rebelling, against a real-life industry that had little faith in their underdog story, and against the fictitious oppressive government in their storyline.
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Themes of anarchy and mutiny run rampant throughout their narrative, and with the help of dance crew BBTrippin, the boys brought this story to life during their concert. After their opening sequence, leader Hongjoong was left alone on stage, plagued by deceitful whispers. For a moment, he stumbled around aimlessly until faced with hooded figures—the terror in his face harrowing. The setlist was interspersed with similarly thrilling scenes: a disheveled Yunho chasing after his leader, a tantalizing Seonghwa dressed in leather and velvet portraying a fallen angel, and vocalist San struggling to free himself from the confines of chains.
It was almost paradoxical. Once the members settled down to finally address the crowd, it pulled you out of the story for a moment—a jarring reminder that they are performing artists, mic’d up in perfectly fitted costumes and flawless makeup rather than the wide-eyed anarchical rebels they acted as just moments before.
The show’s highlights are many. The setlist is abundant with the group’s heavy hitters, as the crowd enjoyed songs like ‘Cyberpunk’, ‘HALAZIA’, and ‘WIN’ in the same evening. Rapper Mingi stumbled around in his Willy Wonka-esque (or “Mingi Wonka”—his words) attire during ‘ARRIBA’, much to everyone’s amusement, but smoothly adopted a suave demeanor for sharpshooter tribute ‘DJANGO’.
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For the first time in their almost six-year career, ATEEZ dove headfirst into both solo and unit projects, an endeavor that beautifully spotlighted each member’s artistry. Hongjoong picked up an electric guitar for his solo, channeling a rockstar persona that perfectly fits the leader’s fiery disposition. Opposite his performance was youngest member Jongho, who performed a vocal solo that sent an awed hush around the entire arena. ‘Everything’ is a song that thoroughly pageants Jongho’s vocal capability—resonant and displaying incredible control as he climbs the multi-octave piece. Emerging from a bed of feathers, Yeosang began ‘IT’s You’ with a dance solo, ever ethereal as he emulated a caged bird before finally breaking free. Dancer Wooyoung took the stage before ‘Silver Light’, a synth-wave instrumental heightening the tension during his intro before the song began.
ATEEZ has never chosen to rest on their laurels, and their continued gratitude towards ATINY doesn’t go unnoticed. The theme of their ‘Towards the Light’ tour was reiterated throughout the evening, and the members individually acknowledged they hoped that fans would see ATEEZ as a source of strength. With hopes that ATINY would continue to move “towards the light”, San professed his gratitude to fans, thanking them for “…giving [ATEEZ] the strength to rise when we fall.”
For those who want an idea of who ATEEZ is as a unit—as an artist—seeing them live is imperative. It has never been in their nature to remain stagnant, and with each successive tour, ATEEZ continues to prove that the sky is the limit.
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Words: Natalia Kabenge // @talia__michelle
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