It’s a very different scene at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium tonight. Rowdy football fans have been replaced by a vibrant mix of ages, genders and backgrounds, waving lightsticks and buzzing with anticipation. The occasion? K-Pop giants Stray Kids are back in the capital for the first time since their appearance at BST Hyde Park last year, and from the outset, it’s clear that a spectacle was in store.
The two opening tracks matched their titles in scale: ‘Mountains’ comes with a towering hook, and ‘Thunderous’ is accompanied by lightning in the form of explosive pyro that lit up the enormous venue. Whilst the production is dazzling, what stands out even more was the eight piece’s sheer energy and stamina; a razor sharp dance break during ‘District 9’ feels even more impressive than usual given the oppressive July heat. De facto leader Bang Chan is charismatic and loveable as he starts the group’s introductions, but it’s rapper Felix who draws the loudest screams from the crowd, his gravelly voice a surreal contrast with his angelic looks.
JYP ENTERTAINMENT, Samir Hussein
The unit stage performances, taken from their most recent EP ‘Mixtape: dominATE’, are some of the most interesting of the night, giving each member a chance to shine. Felix and HAN’s edgy attitude-filled ‘Truman’ is followed by the punky ‘Burnin’ Tires’ performed by Changbin and I.N, and Bang Chan and Hyunjin’s irresistible earworm ‘ESCAPE’. Lee Know and Seungmin round things off with ballad ‘CINEMA, which is touching even if it does sound uncannily similar to Coldplay’s ‘Fix You’. ‘Lonely St’ makes for a moving moment as a sea of paper slogan signs are waved in the air by fans, but the night’s biggest highlight comes in the form of ‘LALALALA’, a certified showstopper complete with relentless choreography and spectacular production.
Whilst the music and performances speak for themselves, the group’s charming onstage banter is a key part of what makes the show so enjoyable. Playfully teasing each other and the crowd, doing British accent impressions (done to death, but somehow still endearing), and heartfelt comments about what playing in this venue means to them before they break into a Spurs chant for their national hero Son Heung-Min. “Look how beautiful that looks,” the group say as they admire the sun glinting off the team logo at the top of the stadium; “you know what else is beautiful? STAY,” Felix says with a wry wink at the camera.
Of course, a show of this calibre has to end with not one, but two encores, during which the group travel around the stadium on a cart, getting up close and personal with STAY who wave and make hand hearts as the band perform tracks like the infectious ‘I Like It’. It’s a perfect ending to a show that’s been part bombastic extravaganza, part authentic connection. Stray Kids are no longer underdogs, and it’s clear to see why: they’re frankly the best to do it since BTS, and perhaps the next to take the crown.
All images by JYP ENTERTAINMENT, Samir Hussein
