Pirates of K-Pop ATEEZ Bring the Thunder to London
With The Fellowship: Map The Treasure tour being put on pause back in 2020, ATINY* all over the world have been waiting eagerly for the chance to see their favourite shipmates back in action. One US tour, two postponements and a four-part album series later, ATEEZ’s ship finally set sail to Europe once again for The Fellowship: Beginning of the End. Last weekend saw the London leg, with two outstanding performances at Wembley OVO Arena, London. With huge thanks to MyMusicTaste, Hallyu Doing joined the ATINY crew to watch the show.
A Fiery Performance from ATEEZ
Electric Atmosphere
As the venue filled and fans found their seats, we felt the anticipation rising. ATEEZ’s music videos played on stage and the whole room sang along - hearts were awakened and the arena was buzzing. Lights dimmed, the music grew louder, and it was clear the show wasn’t far from starting.
Curtain Drop
The wait was finally over - with the room in darkness and speakers booming, the intro film began and the crowd roared with excitement. At the flash of the members’ silhouettes behind the curtain, cheers grew, lightsticks flailed, and in a moment thick with tension, the curtain dropped, along with the hearts of every person in the room. ATEEZ stood in all of their bad-ass pirate glory, and the iconic opening beat of ‘Wonderland’ sent the crowd even wilder.
Legendary Performances
A Lightiny Ocean
Until you witness it first-hand, it’s almost impossible to believe that ATEEZ can pull off their hard-hitting, intense choreo, song after song, all while playfully toying with the crowd, serving fierce eye contact and belting out powerful live vocals. In fact, even seeing it for yourself feels like a fever dream - the talent, passion and ferocity is unmatched, and physically takes your breath away. Sweat pouring from their bodies, there wasn’t a single moment not brimming with energy, ATEEZ barely blinking and never missing a beat as lights flashed, smoke rose, and fire and confetti burst from the stage.
With head-spinning versatility, the group switched from powerful military-like moves in Pirate King, Say My Name and HALA HALA to sultry modern dance for Take Me Home, before switching it up with sweet and playful energy for the songs like Eternal Sunshine and Dancing Like Butterfly Wings. ATEEZ tugged at our heartstrings with a performance of STAR 1117, listening to ATINY sing back to them from a sea of shimmering LIGHTINY* and phone torches.
A British Twist
Expressing their delight to return to the UK after three years, the boys worked hard to make British fans feel special by sharing some of their favourite things about the UK. On Saturday, Jongho prepared a football trick to impress the audience, while Mingi performed a short rendition of ‘You & I’ by One Direction. Yunho expressed his love for the Kingsman movies, quoting the famous line “manners maketh man”, and even added his own heartwarming twist during their final speech: “ATINY MAKETH ATEEZ”.
On Sunday, Wooyoung covered Ed Sheeran’s ‘Thinking Out Loud’ and - as expected from the Potterheads of ATEEZ - there were several Harry Potter references. To ATINY’s surprise, we discovered Yunho would be attending Hogwarts as an exchange student, his wizard status proved by a powerful Lumos spell, lighting up the entire venue. Wooyoung and Yunho began an audience wave with “Expecto Patronum”, and Yunho exclaimed “WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA” during a particularly energetic performance of The Real.
Like a Thunder
In true British fashion, the London audience made sure they were heard - Hongjoong was surprised by how loud the fans were, and San grew particularly excited, joining in whenever the crowd stomped their feet, sending a rumble of thunder through the venue towards the stage. After the Sunday show, Wooyoung and Yunho spent some time discussing the concert on a YouTube livestream. Wooyoung mentioned the crowd’s energy: “The London ATINY really cheered for us a lot… Now, when ATINYs cheer for us, or they’re in a good mood, they stomp their feet. It’s so loud, really, as much as the sound of a train. It was really fascinating”. Yunho added “at first, I thought ‘are we close to a train station?’ but it was ATINY’s stomping”.
British Born KQ Artist MADDOX Performing Adele’s ‘Easy on Me’
Special Guest MADDOX
In Yunho’s words, to “shake things up a bit”, the halfway point of the show was marked with a special guest performance from fellow KQ artist MADDOX. Born in the UK and raised in Bournmouth, the singer was thrilled to be back after 18 years, and started with a mindblowing cover of British icon Adele’s ‘Easy on Me’.
His sweet but powerful vocals filled the room, and the crowd sang along, waving their torches and cheering him on. He ended his performance with self-written song ‘Lamp’, urging the audience to listen to the lyrics whenever they feel lonely, so that he can be their light in the dark.
“ATINY MAKETH ATEEZ”
As the show reached its finale, the group’s Captain Hongjoong reminded us that with each other, ATEEZ and ATINY can do anything. It was clear to everyone listening that every heartfelt sentiment and word of encouragement from each of the members was sincere, and that they truly cherish each and every one of their fans. Seonghwa ended his speech by calling ATINY “the light of the stars”, and Yeosang reminded the audience that ATEEZ will always be by their side.
Unforgettable Experience
A night that cannot be forgotten, ATEEZ live in concert is a must-see for any k-pop fan. With unbeatable energy, immense talent and an intensity that cannot be described, the group delivers a performance like no other - a beauty to behold, it has to be seen to be believed. An epic journey with twists and turns, carrying a strong message to keep fighting, but to do so with humility, love and kindness, and truly a theatrical feast for the eyes, The Fellowship: Beginning of the End is everything you need and more. And if that’s not enough to convince you - just ask ATINY twitter.
Next Stop - Wembley Stadium?
After selling out the Saturday show (with 54,000 users trying to buy postponed re-sale tickets) and adding a second London date due to unprecedented demand, what’s next for ATEEZ in the UK? With two shows at 12,500 capacity OVO Arena, and the boy’s popularity climbing by the minute, would the O2 Arena be big enough at 20k, or could we see the boys fill 90k seats in Wembley Stadium for their next tour? What do you think ATINY, can they do it? Drop a comment below!
Want to see the show for yourself? The Fellowship continues its voyage through Europe this month, stopping at the following cities:
Wed May 4th 2022 - Paris
Sun May 8th 2022 - Berlin
Mon May 9th 2022 - Berlin
Thu May 12th 2022 - Amsterdam
*ATINY - official fandom name of ATEEZ fans, chosen by the members of ATEEZ.
*LIGHTINY - nickname of official lightstick for ATEEZ fans. (Lightsticks are popular merchandise for k-pop concerts, with each group having their own version for fans to collect. The design is personal to the group, with many unique characteristics, but all with a common theme - a handheld device that lights up, flashes, and can even sync with the concert venue lighting to create amazing visual effects in the audience)
