If Saturday was all cowboy hats, country twang and Garth Brooks reducing 69,999 people to happy tears, Sunday at BST Hyde Park was something else entirely. It was glitter, perfectly synchronised dancing, screaming fans holding glowing orbs and a South Korean boyband setting that Royal Park ablaze with K-pop fire. Our very own reporter dad Mirko took his daughter Gaia along, joined by our lovely media partner Dora from Complitaly, and from the messages pinging into my phone all evening, I can confirm this was less a gig and more a religious experience for the next generation.
Before we go any further, let us address the lightsticks. The ATEEZ lightstick, officially called the ‘lightiny’, is not just a glow stick. It is a compass, an hourglass, a piece of fan-designed art, and on Sunday evening Hyde Park was transformed into a sea of them. Thousands of tiny lights swaying in the sunset while ATEEZ launched into Wave. You did not need to know the words. You just needed to be there.
The eight members, Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho, arrived power-dressed in white, fresh from touring Australia and Asia, and clearly thrilled to be back. “It’s so good to see you – or hear you!” declared Hongjoong, and honestly, he was not wrong. The screaming could probably be heard in Victoria. They kicked off with Bouncy, and from that moment Mirko reports his daughter did not stop moving. Not once. Not even for a sip of water.
The setlist was a masterclass in energy management. Say My Name, Work, Shaboom, Lemon Drop, all delivered with that razor-sharp choreography that makes you wonder if these men have extra joints normal humans do not. NASA and Ice On My Teeth sent the crowd into a dancing frenzy, while In Your Fantasy had almost every voice singing the lyrics into the warm evening air. “Wow, you guys’ energy is so insane,” commented San, and Mirko, who had by now been dancing for an hour with his daughter, could only nod in exhausted agreement. Yeosang looked out at the crowd and said, “I see so many people here from different languages and different backgrounds and they are enjoying the music together. I like that.” So did we, Yeosang.
The show was not just about the hits. They debuted BAD, a brand new single released only two days before, marking their first ever live festival performance of the track. It landed like a thunderclap, and Gaia apparently already knew half the words. How? The mysteries of the internet and an extremely dedicated fanbase, that is how.
The finale was a relentless assault of bangers. Adrenaline, ???? (I’m The One), Guerilla, and then ? The Real closed the show just as the last light drained from the sky. Seonghwa had asked earlier, “BST, do you think you still got some energy left?” and the answer, roared back by tens of thousands, was a resounding yes. Mirko texted me a single word at that moment: “knackered.” Followed by a string of heart emojis.
Earlier in the day, the support acts had done a sterling job of warming up the park. Bazzi brought thoughtful, sun-soaked pop, asking the crowd to take a deep breath together and connect. It was a lovely, zen moment before the glittering storm to come. FLO dazzled in sapphire, their polished R&B a perfect summer soundtrack. And then there was TAEMIN. The man arrived in a button-up black blazer with no shirt underneath, and the collective intake of breath from the mums in the audience could have powered a small wind turbine. He opened with Sexy In The Air, and that is exactly what it was. By the time he removed his jacket during Move, the screaming had reached levels normally reserved for a surprise week off school. “I thought London would be cooler,” he noted, to much knowing laughter from anyone who had attempted the Central line that afternoon. He reminded everyone to stay hydrated, a true gentleman, and then danced like a man who has never felt the need to sit down.
On the Rainbow Stage, twin DJs Altégo brought pounding euro-techno, dearALICE introduced themselves as a British K-pop boyband (yes, that is a thing, and the crowd loved them), and Tommy Lyon made his festival debut with a confidence that belied his newcomer status. Over on Birdcage, South Korean DJ Raiden and Liverpool quintet Girl Group kept the vibes pumping.
For Mirko, Gaia and Dora, this was clearly one of those afternoons that becomes a core memory. Dora documented the whole thing for Complitaly with the kind of enthusiasm only a truly excellent festival day can generate.
BST Hyde Park continues with headline sets from Maroon 5, Mumford & Sons, Duran Duran, Pitbull and Lewis Capaldi. Tickets at www.bst-hydepark.com. Bring water, wear sunscreen, and if you see a dad with a lightstick, give him a knowing nod.
Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://www.londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
