Photo Credit. Cheyenne Chong-Hoover // KpopWise
BIG OCEAN’s ‘The Greatest Battle’ Tour made its way to Atlanta in April, and the 3-member group left their mark on PADO’s hearts once again. PADO, the fandom name, directly translates to “wave” but when members, CHANYEON, PJ, and JISEOK think of PADO they think of how the energy and love from their fans motivates them to keep going as they expand their discography and artistic expression.
This tour was named for their most recent album THE GREATEST BATTLE and it highlights what they have endured as they navigate the industry. B-side ‘Back’ showcases this with direct lyrics like, “Every tear, every heartache was just the fuel for the fire I know.” The power they use behind their lyrics in the studio is evident when they take the stage and light the theoretical fire through choreography and obvious passion.
The sold out show in Atlanta’s ‘The Loft’ venue, meant a sea of lightsticks and eyes stuck to the stage in awe of Big Ocean’s performances. Aside from showcasing their newest title track One Man Army, the members were also able to share their solo stages that featured new songs for Jiseok and Chanyeon. A unique feature on this tour is when PJ brings one lucky fan on stage to participate in his solo song “Sinking.” In previous performances, PJ would sit, lonesome, on the stage as fans swayed along with the emotional lyrics.
The surprises kept coming as they did more interactions with PADO Pop Quiz where fans answered Big Ocean trivia and were invited on stage for a special photo. This tour stop was truly special as the celebration continued when fans signed “Happy Anniversary” to Big Ocean as their tour team presented them with a special cake! The members reminisced on their journey with PADO and future that they look forward to together. Chanyeon may or may not have teared up, making the sentiment tug even harder at the crowd’s heartstrings.
To promote this tour and meet even more fans, the members partnered up with KORUS Entertainment to do a working fan day at K-Pop Nation in Duluth, Georgia leading up to the concert day. Events like this allow fans and the group to chat a bit more or for fans that may not be able to attend a full concert to still get a great experience with their favorite artist. Perks at the concert also included fansign, hi-wave, selfies, and polaroid options.
As the first deaf K-pop group, integrating sign language isn’t just something they incorporate into dance moves or lyric-matching, but is intrinsic in their goals of sharing their world with the world. Be sure to keep an eye out for Big Ocean when they come to a city near you! Check out more from their Atlanta tour stop in our gallery below:
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