Global sensation BTS, made up of RM, SUGA, J-Hope, Jin, Jungkook, Jimin and V, turned Tottenham Hotspur Stadium purple on night two of their sold-out London shows. They turned up the heat and brought the sunshine with them. Their stage presence reminds anyone who doubted them after their hiatus that they’re here to stay and will continue to deliver everything fans crave. They are as humble and grateful as ever, and this down-to-earth nature is what has kept BTS at the top. Their love for their fans, ARMY, is at the forefront of every interaction, every performance, and every album. I loved how fans were giving out freebies and exchanging artwork inside and outside the stadium. There was even a fan initiative with free cards to hold up during certain songs to show BTS how much fans appreciate them, which was very sweet.
This was my first time seeing the band live, despite watching numerous recorded concerts at home, and the atmosphere is like nothing else. The synchronised light sticks set the stadium ablaze with colour and create an intimate atmosphere in such a large venue. Tracks from their new album, Arirang, released this spring, took centre stage with a maturity that showed how much the members have grown after completing their military service. Standout tracks included Swim, Like Animals, and FYA, which merged into Fire, with a special mention to Body to Body, which incorporated the Arirang audio. It was a cultural moment to have thousands of fans sing along to something so monumental to Korean culture. Most of the vocals were very strong, but they were occasionally let down by the sound, which sometimes became muffled. The vibe shifted once again as they turned up the heat with fan favourites like Mic Drop, Save Me, Fake Love, and Idol. The group made their way around the stage and past the crowd to create a little more intimacy in the space. I could feel the stadium vibrating with the force of the dancing, and the electric atmosphere really emphasised how much music brings people together. The members also took time to slow the pace down and talk to the crowd in a mixture of English and Korean, with the help of a translator, which just shows that music doesn’t have boundaries.
The show is broken down into three parts, with about a 10-minute interval between act one and act two, which gave plenty of time to grab a drink and cool off from the heat. The on-screen visuals and fancams kept fans entertained, but I would have liked a little more storytelling in these visuals to tie the show together. As much as the stage was massive, and the band did well to fill the space and move from one end to the other to interact with fans, I did feel they often got lost. I often couldn’t see where they were on stage, though this could have been more of a distance issue, which is common with large stadium venues.
There’s no doubt that BTS enjoy what they do. They work hard and continue to mature with new and old fans alike. It was a fantastic night full of heart and high-octane energy that only made me, selfishly, want more. It was like they had never left. Until next time.
Side note: the organisation at the venue left a lot to be desired. The lack of crowd control was frightening, especially in the heat, and the long queues for water fountains were unacceptable. This is not the fault of the band, but the venue. The lack of signage, and the way the crowd was herded towards train stations and even the event entrance, was poorly managed.
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Amy is a writer and reviewer and her action-packed debut novel, CORNELIA FAIRFIELD AND THE DARKENED HEART is available in paperback from WATERSTONES and independent bookshops, and ebook (with an exclusive bonus chapter only on Kindle / Kindle Unlimited AMAZON).
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