Concert review: Stray Kids deliver explosive performance heavy on theatrics

Stray Kids World Tour Dominate Singapore

National Stadium
Sept 28, 7pm

Their tour is titled Dominate, and Stray Kids did just that with their commanding presence, high energy and elaborate numbers that were heavy on theatrics in their one-night gig in Singapore.

Time magazine hailed the eight-member group as one of its Next Generation Leaders in 2023, while Rolling Stone UK called its September cover artistes the biggest band in the world right now.

Stray Kids – consisting of Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin and I.N – were at the top of their game as they entertained the 30,000-strong crowd at the National Stadium, the third K-pop act to perform there after juggernauts BTS and Blackpink.

They made their grand entrance at 7pm with Mountains (2024), bringing the crowd to a fever pitch.

The first track on their latest EP Ate (2024), the anthemic number was an ideal concert-opener, in which the members’ energetic performance was punctuated with pyrotechnics, dancing laser beams and sleek graphics on the video wall.

Deafening screams from the predominantly female audience continued to fill the arena as the group performed Thunderous (2021) and Jjam (2024).

Leader Bang Chan, 26, took on the role of emcee, introducing each member of the group, as well as the live band comprising a drummer, electric guitarist, bassist and keyboardist.

“Thank you, Singapore. We are very honoured to kick-start the Dominate world tour here,” said Bang Chan in a thick Australian accent. Fellow Australian Felix, 24, chimed in, saying that it was always good to be back in Singapore.

Their gig here followed four sold-out concerts at the KSPO Dome in Seoul in August.

The group previously performed at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in 2023 for their Maniac concert, as well as in 2019 at the Kamp Singapore music festival.

While Stray Kids are known for their flashy choreography, Dominate was an opportunity for each member to showcase his vocal prowess with unreleased solo numbers.

Han, 24, was the first soloist with pop number Hold My Hand, followed by 25-year-old Lee Know’s bubbly Youth. Seungmin, 24, slowed the tempo down by strumming along to acoustic ballad As We Are, which showed off his vocal range.

Hyunjin, 24, who elicited the loudest screams whenever he appeared on the video wall, rapped So Good dressed in custom Versace.

Felix’s solo number Unfair was high on drama. Togged in Louis Vuitton, he was lowered into the arena from the ceiling, as he crooned to a backdrop depicting the wilting rose from Disney’s animation Beauty And The Beast (1991). 

The band regrouped for Chk Chk Boom, the catchy title track on Ate, which topped the Billboard 200 chart for five consecutive weeks. The heart-thumping song was clearly a favourite among Stay – Stray Kids’ fandom name – as the number became a massive sing-along session. 

The octet’s dedication to delivering a good show was evident. With no breaks throughout the three-hour-long set, they executed each song’s physically demanding choreography with great aplomb.

Bang Chan delighted the crowd with banter, telling the Stay they had learnt a couple of Singlish words such as “alamak” and “aiyoh”. Changbin also declared his love for chilli crab, a favourite among South Korean artistes.

There was a sense of camaraderie as the band played pranks on one another on stage, such as when Seungmin poured a bottle of water down Felix’s back, or when the bandmates teased Bang Chan about his ripped torso when he took off his jacket during his solo item Railway. 

Their bromance is one of Stray Kids’ charms, as professed by some Stay who surprised their idols with a video greeting. Visibly touched, Bang Chan thanked their fans for their devotion and promised that the group would continue to strive to do their best. 

“This video is unexpected, and it really means a lot to us. We will be back, and this is our promise,” he said.

As the concert drew to a close, Stray Kids brought the house down with two encores, a reprise of Chk Chk Boom and the groovy I Like It (2024), which got everyone to their feet. 

The latter was a favourite for 12-year-old Syarifah Sakinah, who attended the concert with her aunt. 

A Bang Chan fan, Syarifah started following the group a few years ago and said the concert was a great “study break and a day off” from her revision for the Primary School Leaving Examination.

Student Elaine Toh, 17, was impressed by Bang Chan’s vocals, and commented that the solo segments “brought out their personal colour”. 

Spaniard Isabel Pascasio, who became a Stay after she was introduced to My Pace in 2018, said she had always enjoyed Stray Kids’ choreography. “To be able to watch their live performance was amazing,” said the teacher.

Ms Pascasio, 31, also cited Bang Chan as her favourite member, saying he has a natural, confident flair.

Ms Seora Lee, 40, who attended the 2023 Maniac tour, said Dominate was a “big upgrade” with its 3D light effects. She said the group also levelled up on their choice of songs and how they used the stage. 

The administrative officer added that she felt like she was in a huge club where everyone was singing and dancing together. 

After the Singapore stop, Stray Kids will be performing at the 50th anniversary of the American Music Awards on Oct 6, before taking the Dominate tour Down Under on Oct 19, followed by 14 more shows in eight cities across Asia. The American and European legs of the tour have yet to be announced.