JYP Entertainment’s boy group Stray Kids performed in front of over 60,000 spectators at the Lollapalooza Paris Festival.
Stray Kids (Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, IN) took to the main stage on day one of Lollapalooza Paris 2023, a global music festival held at Hippodrome ParisLongchamp in Paris, France, on July 21 (local time).
The group was also selected as the main headliner alongside Spanish singer ROSALÍA for the July 22 show and famed American rapper Kendrick Lamar for the July 23 show. In particular, it confirmed Stray Kids’ reputation as the first K-pop group to headline a large-scale festival in Paris, France.
Catching the attention of music fans around the world, Stray Kids gathered around 60,000 people for their performance, demonstrating the group’s global influence. The huge crowd that filled the Hippodrome ParisLongchamp was already shouting “Stray Kids” passionately before the concert even started.
As the opening music announcing the start of Stray Kids’ spectacular performance echoed through the venue, the audience began to cheer enthusiastically. The grandiose set with a huge spider model and the powerful performances of “Venom” and “MANIAC” instantly ignited the atmosphere.
Next, Stray Kids greeted local fans in French, saying “We were looking forward to meeting you as the headliner of such a big music festival. We can’t believe the sight in front of our eyes right now. Since this performance is also meaningful to us, we are going to show you amazing performances, so enjoy with us. »
JYP’s boy group performed on diverse stages with the festival’s iconic band’s live sessions, providing an enjoyable experience for the eyes and ears of the audience. Appearing in traditional costumes, the members put on a classic and artistic performance of “Thunderous,” then showed off Stray Kids’ unique, laid-back charm through “DOMINO,” and led the audience to cheers with their signature song “God’s Menu”.
The 3RACHA production team (Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han) also performed songs as a unit. The group then ignited the stage with the title track “S-Class”, which contributed to their three consecutive records at the top of the Billboard 200 chart, as well as the tracks “TOPLINE (Feat. Tiger JK)”, “Super Bowl” and “ITEM”.
Stray Kids concluded the concert with “My Pace”, “MIROH” and “Haven”. The fireworks lighting up the night sky of Paris during the last song “Haven” created a magnificent spectacle and added to the festive atmosphere.
Expressing their overflowing feelings after performing in front of 60,000 people, the members shared: “It’s such a meaningful and special experience for us to headline a festival where everyone is united by music. We enjoyed the music and the stage wholeheartedly, and we will never forget every moment today. Thank you all for singing and dancing with us. »
As was the case with the disappointment of Blackpink’s concert at Coachella, Stray Kids’ performance at Lollapalooza in Paris failed to live up to the high expectations placed on the K-pop group in South Korea.
Although not all seats were sold out, their fans came from all over Europe and gave a bad image of K-pop by occupying the best seats hours in advance, which had the effect of making the concerts of previous artists not very lively.
However, Stray Kids fans were eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see their favorite band on an international stage, but sadly, the concert left many underappreciated and disillusioned.
Stray Kids has gained immense worldwide popularity. Their energetic performances and innovative music have earned them a devoted fanbase, making their presence at Lollapalooza Paris a highly anticipated event. However, according to Korean fans despite the group’s talent and potential, their performance at this renowned music festival left something to be desired in several ways.
One of the main reasons for the disappointment was the lack of connection with the public. The live performances are all based on establishing a connection between the artists and their fans. Whether through powerful vocals, captivating dance moves, or captivating exchanges, performers must be able to connect with their audience in a personal way.
Stray Kids’ performance at Lollapalooza seemed to lack that essential connection, leaving fans feeling disconnected and distant from the band they looked up to.
Min Jun-Lee, a Korean fan said: “I was so disappointed, it seemed like we had seen all this before… Nothing really new”.
Also, the group’s song list was not as captivating as expected. While Stray Kids undeniably has a repertoire of hit songs, their pick of songs for Lollapalooza Paris didn’t seem to highlight their top crowd-pleasing tracks.
This left many fans asking for more, feeling like they hadn’t been able to experience the full extent of the band’s musical talent.
Despite the disappointment, it is essential to understand that a disappointing performance does not define an artist’s talent or potential. Stray Kids have proven time and time again that they are an exceptional group with immense potential, and their future performances may still bring joy and excitement to their fans.
Korean netizens seem disappointed and would have preferred to see Tomorrow by Together or EXO headlining instead to represent Kpop in France. Stray Kids’ lack of popularity in Korea doesn’t seem to be on the way to being resolved…
On the other hand, Stray Kids will launch the large-scale dome tour ‘Stray Kids 5-STAR Dome Tour 2023’ in four Japanese cities. On September 30 and October 1, the group plans to hold a special concert in Seoul at KSPO DOME in the Songpa-gu district, where they will share precious memories with their fandom STAY (the fandom of Stray Kids).
In addition, Stray Kids will also be the only Asian group to participate in the Global Citizen Festival 2023, which will be held in Central Park, New York on September 23.
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