[K-Exclusive]: STRAY KIDS MAKE HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA WITH TOUR

Stray Kids made history when they became the first male K-Pop group to bring a stadium tour to Australia. First Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on Saturday the 19th of October, then the Saturday after, October 26th, saw Sydney’s Allianz Stadium host Stray Kids <dominATE> World Tour in full force.

In true JYP style, the screens played clips of JYP Entertainment artists. STAY’s cheers started before the boys even stepped foot on stage at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.

STAY’s erupted with cheers as Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N emerged on stage. It wasn’t just excitement from the crowd; it was an overwhelming surge of emotions that filled the stadium. It was a homecoming of not just Bang Chan and Felix, but each member of Stray Kids.

The night show kicked off with songs from their latest album ATE, with some universally loved title tracks sprinkled in. Making the most of the spacious stage, elements were brought out to bring drama to their performance. Doors were incorporated into their “Back Door” choreography and the tour’s camera crew skilfully maneuvered through them capturing dynamic angles that were projected onto the colossal side screens of the stage. 

The <dominATE> tour gave the members an opportunity to shine individually as well by unveiling unreleased solo songs. 

Han kicked off the solo stages with his powerful track “Hold My Hand”, it gave him a chance to channel his inner rock star showing off his versatility as an artist with his expressive vocals, masterful rapping, guitar skills, and vibrant stage presence.

Lee Know was up next, performing his song “Youth”. He contrasted his nostalgic lyrics with a high-energy performance, using every corner of the stage alongside his backup dances to share his joy with STAY.

Seungmin followed with a subdued and intimate stage. The performance started on the screen, following Seungmin from underneath the stage as he equips himself with his guitar and moved towards his starting position. Accompanied by the in-house live band, “As We Are” was paired with stunning visuals. With the backdrop of the sky, the staging made it appear as though he was sitting on top of a mountain – singing into the universe immersing himself in the heartfelt ballad.

All I can say is Hyunjin’s solo stage was “So Good”. What better way to wrap up the first half of the solo stages than with Hyunjin’s powerful yet effortless dance skills? Playful smiles shone through his alluring choreography. The stage visuals were enhanced by backup dancers who brought additional swagger and energy to the performance.

The eight members rejoined, wheeling onto the stage in an old-school Chevy to thrill STAY with the unofficial anthem of the night; “Chk Chk Boom”. Fan-favourite B-side tracks – “TOPLINE”, “Super Bowl”, “COMFLEX”, “twilight”, and “Lonely St.” played either side of “LALALALA”. There wasn’t a single moment of silence from STAY, the night was filled with energy and excitement.

The solo stages continued with Bang Chan’s “Railway”. Stray Kid’s leader transformed the entire stadiums energy with his captivating R&B melody. Dancers were sprawled across a pyramid of stairs, with Bang Chan positioned atop in the middle. The dramatic visuals built anticipation as Chan brought himself to the front of the main stage to showcase hard-hitting choreography for the chorus. The song drew to a close as the leader stood back onto the top of his platform. He took this moment to take in his surroundings before taking off his jacket, revealing track marks covering his torso. STAYs erupted in uncontrollable excitement. As Bang Chan turned to face them, he leaped backward, launching himself from the platform and into darkness.

“Hallucination” was the fitting name for I.N’s track. It was hard to believe that our Maknae has grown up into a man who could perform with such a high level of charisma and confidence. Needing a moment of reprieve from Chan’s intense performance, STAY’s hearts raced a little faster during this set. Radiating effortless boldness and strength, I.N’s solo was nothing less than remarkable.

Felix lowered from the ceiling as his deep and sultry voice sang about life being so “Unfair”. This performance showed a vulnerable side to our favorite freckled Felix, as he transitioned from smooth vocals to his powerful rich rapping. He explained later in the night that he wrote this song with Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” in mind, writing from the point of view of the Beast.

The solo stages concluded with a dynamic stage from the powerful Changbin. “Ultra” saw the stadium lit up by green lasers and his total command of the stage. The intense beats aligned perfectly with his dynamic vocal delivery, only to be pushed further with Changbin’s strong choreography. The backup dancers and stage visuals elevated this performance to the next level. 

Reunited again, Stray Kid’s next set included “GET LIT”, “ITEM”, “DOMINO”, “God’s Menu”, “S-Class”, “Venom” and “Maniac”. STAY’s remained energetic, their cheers just as loud as when the members first took the stage.

It seemed as though the night was coming to an end when visuals changed to JYP’s typical end of show activity – the random play dance. STAYs were projected onto the stage screens at random and encouraged by the rest of the audience to dance to select Stray Kids songs. The stadium roared when a special guest appeared on the screens – none other than Bang Chan’s sister, Hannah Bang dancing to “S-Class”.

When Stray Kids returned to the stage, all the lights dimmed as a fan project specially created for Lee Know’s birthday. The animated film depicted Lee Know as a prince narrating how he met the rest of his members, finally transforming them from their SKZOO counterparts into his human brothers. Throughout the story, stars were highlighted as the guiding lights on their journey cheering them on. In a touching twist at the end, it was revealed that these stars were actually STAY. The video finished with the voices of Aussie STAY’s of all ages expressing their gratitude and love for the members.

The boys composed themselves after this touching moment with STAY and moved on to their encore stages. Focussing less on choreography and putting all their energy into interacting with STAY and each other, the members performed “I Like It”, “CASE 143”, “My Pace” and “Stray Kids”.

Unfortunately for the fans, it seemed as though the night was coming to an end until the boys suddenly transitioned into “MIROH” – the electronic elements of the song had the whole stadium on their feet. 

Stray Kids waved goodbye to STAY and the Stadium. It was another psyche! Stray Kids then switched it up with the Festival Version of “Chk Chk Boom” hyping up the crowd once again. Notably, Bang Chan filmed the performance on a vlogging camera as he danced around the stage with his members and interacted lovingly with the crowd.

In a final love letter to STAY – Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N sang “Star Lost”. This song is one close to a lot of STAY’s hearts and has rarely been performed during their tours, some fans sang along through their tears but with full hearts. It was truly a special moment for Sydney STAY and a perfect conclusion to the <dominATE> Tour in Australia.

It was an extraordinary experience to see Stray Kids return to Australia for the third time, with each visit expanding significantly from Luna Park’s Big Top to Qudos Bank Arena, and now marking the first male K-Pop stadium tour in Australia. Their growth is not only impressive but unparalleled, as each member continues to evolve into the best version of themselves. We can’t wait for their next visit and can only imagine what’s in store for their next tour Down Under.

Thank you Live Nation Australia for this opportunity

Written by Rachel Di Giglio
Photo credit to Jess Gleeson (@jessgleeson)

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