02.07.2023 : BST FESTIVAL HYDE PARK LONDON :  BLACKPINK

BLACKPINK : PERFORMANCE

BLACKPINK has been extremely busy since the start of their World Tour last year! After their visit to London in Novembre, the girls are coming back in Europe on July 15th for a memorable "ENCORE" at the Stade de France in Paris. In the meantime, they have fine-tuned a new version of their performance, with a stronger focus on the festival atmosphere. After Coachella, it's now the turn of the BST Festival in Hyde Park, London. Announced months in advance and sold out, eagerly awaited by Londoners (and many Blinks from around the world who came specifically for this July 2nd event), BLACKPINK's performance is historic for several reasons: the first Asian and Korean group to headline the BST Festival, with sold-out tickets in all categories! That's it, everything is set for a great moment, a grand BLACKPINK performance, despite their hectic schedule of concerts, promotions, festivals, and fashion shows... How will the group achieve this feat in front of an audience that is already devoted to their cause but also demanding?

As mentioned earlier, the stage of the Great Oak Stage is exceptional, adorned with a giant artificial tree and surrounded by an array of equally impressive technical equipment. Lights burst from everywhere, illuminating Hyde Park primarily in pink! The crowd chants the group's name, waving their (hammer Bong) lightsticks that are already prepared and glowing! "BLACKPINK! BLACKPINK!" The audience has been eagerly waiting for over an hour. The performance, scheduled for 8:30 PM, starts about 10 to 15 minutes later after some stage and instrument adjustments. Yes, BLACKPINK will be accompanied by their regular orchestra, male and female dancers, and high-quality sound and visual effects. Just like that!

The concert is divided into three distinct parts: it begins with a beautiful introduction followed by an electrifying VCR that ignites the crowd, featuring performances by the dance troupe. PINK VENOM echoes, they're here! The audience erupts with excitement as the concert finally kicks off with the presence of Rosé, Jisoo, Jennie, and Lisa! The songs quickly follow: How You Like That, then Pretty Savage, and Kick It! The dancers change their outfits for an extended instrumental version of Whistle! Meanwhile, the girls take the opportunity to change and start the second part of the concert dedicated to solos! After an intro and a VCR that keeps the energy high, Jennie takes the stage with shortened and modified versions of You & Me and SOLO! Jisoo then takes her place for the eagerly awaited Flower, followed by Rosé, who starts with a mini intro of Gone and seamlessly transitions into On the Ground, all on a large platform overlooking the stage! Lisa doesn't hold back either and during MONEY, she treats the audience to an impressive dance break!

The dancers return for another performance during the "interlude/outfit change," this time with BOOMBAYAH. The incredibly popular song electrifies the crowd! And here they are, BLACKPINK, still full of energy! It's a true communion with the audience! It's time for Lovesick Girls and Playing With Fire! Now it's the orchestra's turn to shine and deliver a small musical solo. The orchestra brings a real depth to the performances. Feathers fall, and the girls return for Typa Girl and Shut Down! The group takes the time to interact with the audience, expressing their gratitude for their presence. Rosé is thrilled to be in London! The group introduces the members of the orchestra accompanying them on their tour, and then it's time for Tally! Over an hour and 20 minutes of performance, and the concert reaches its end, leading to the "ENCORE" with the iconic Ddu Du Ddu-Du! Confetti rains down, lights dance in all directions, the bass amplifies, and the finale is here! And what could be more iconic than ending the concert with Forever Young? BLACKPINK IS THE REVOLUTION! The group thanks the audience and disappears into the night. The concert is over, and everyone goes home, holding their lightsticks and with stars in their eyes.

CONCLUSION

We had a fantastic setlist with 17 songs! Despite some surprising rhythm losses (black screen, music stopped, stage only with dancers) due to production, which created a rather curious sensation of being plunged into darkness without any music after having been thrilled for about twenty minutes (the duration of a segment), the concert was phenomenal: the stage was huge, the audience was there, and the girls were extremely cheerful and dynamic. It was a beautiful performance by the group, which also allowed us to (re)discover lesser-played songs, especially Jisoo's famous solo Flower finally performed live! And the outfits were stunning. The BST performance definitely ranks in the top 10 for the girls. Despite limited visibility for those in the pit or at the other end of the park, the memory left by this concert is unforgettable, and we hope it will inspire major European festivals to trust more Korean artists, even though the trend, though timid, is starting to confirm itself with the regular presence of The Rose in this summer's festivals (including BST), and Stray Kids soon at Lolla Paris.