Breaking the Walls With ATEEZ in Baltimore

All Photos: Nia Jackson

On July 16, in the city of Baltimore, Maryland at the CFG Bank Arena, everyone was on their feet. On that day, KQ Entertainment boy group ATEEZ gave us a show we will never forget. Watching an ATEEZ show is like watching magic happen before your eyes. Every performance is full of energy–the vocals and raps are breathtaking, and every person in the venue is excited and having a great time. Before the show starts, you can feel the anticipation and excitement of everyone in the room. Fans are smiling ear to ear and ready for the show. 

The moment the lights dim, all eyes are directed toward the large screens at the front. There, we are shown our first VCR of the night. You are instantly captivated as we watch an artistic opening to the show. The members are depicted in different sets, against a bland background, but with colorful objects. Each member had a separate object, and the bright color caught your eye instantly. For example, bright orange balloons and red chairs stood out in contrast to the serious tone of the video. The moment the VCR ended, the crowd erupted in cheers as the backdrop lifted, revealing the silhouettes of the members. As the live band plays our first song, “BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS),” the members walk down to the center of the stage. Standing in line, the members wore an arrangement of red and black sparkly outfits that glistened every time the stage lights hit them. The moment they started performing, your eyes were glued to the stage, and you were singing along. Without a second thought, we were instantly transported into our next song, “Fireworks (I’m The One).” The members moved down the catwalk to the stage that was closer to the audience. The flashing lights, band, and legit fire hyped the crowd even more and had us full of energy for the next song, “Blind.” This was one of the highly anticipated tracks from ATINY’s, so when the ending came, everyone was screaming “El amor es ciego, eh, oh, eh. Es ciego, eh, oh, eh.” 

After an eventful opener, we got our first ment of the night. As everyone caught their breath, the members introduced themselves, and we heard the iconic phrase, “eight makes one team.” The members discussed how this is their first time in Baltimore and are eager to make great memories tonight. They then begin to introduce their band, the ATEEZ live band. A drummer, a pianist, a bass guitarist, and an electric guitarist who gave their all on every single song. They were terrific and got the cheers that they deserved. 

After a great introduction, we all caught our breaths and were ready for the next song, “Man on Fire.” On a long, extended table, the members perform the choreography in sync. It was intriguing to watch. Set against a glowing red light, each arm swung in the same direction, and the incorporation of the backup dancers intensified the performance overall. During this section of the show, we got to see some of the members perform their recent solos from their new album GOLDEN HOUR: Part 3 ‘In Your Fantasy Edition’. Starting with Yunho and his solo “Slide to me.” With a Michael Jackson-inspired choreography and striking vocals, Yunho’s solo had every audience member in awe. The next solo was by member Seonghwa. His track “Skin” features his graceful falsetto notes and hard-hitting choreography. This performance left us all with our eyes wide open and shocked.

As the members gathered back on the stage, the band gave us a remarkable intro to our next track, “WE KNOW.” With a blue, green, and red color scheme, the stage was filled with vibrant colors, dynamic duo choreography, and powerful vocals, leaving the entire audience grasping for more. With an outstanding outro from the band, they lead us into our next solo performance by Yeosang. Rising onto the stage, his track “Legacy” begins, and we are shown a mythical story being told right before our eyes. The intensity of the choreography builds as the song continues, showcasing Yeosang's talented skills. After his performance, Yeosang starts a flare, and as he walks to the main stage, the strums of an electric guitar play the one and only “Guerrilla.” During this moment in the show, you could hear every single audience member loud and clear. The moment Yunho screamed, “Make some noise,” the audience definitely listened. With each “Break the walls,” the audience's participation increased, and the entire venue was screaming with so much excitement. 

As we all collected our thoughts and took in the first half of the show, a VCR started playing, showing the members against a clear background. With each member getting their time to shine in the VCR, you get to really take in the black and red outfits as they stand out compared to the clear surroundings. The moment the video ended, we were all back on our feet, ready for the next solo performance by Wooyoung. Surrounded by a dark blue sky, bright stars, and sparkling lights, Wooyoung performed his hit “Sagittarius.” It’s honestly such a beautiful song, and watching him perform this on an elevated stage left you amazed. The next solo was by member Jongho. His solo “To be your light” was a lighthearted track. With a Lightiny ocean as his background, a mic stand, and his powerful vocals, you were instantly entranced by his solo. As you looked into the audience, you could see a sea of Lightiny sway to the tempo of the song. It was a beautiful sight and warmed the hearts of all. To end this part of the show, we got to see the heartwarming performance of “Turbulence.” It was a good way to transition to the second ment of the night. It was fun to hear them talk about how they love each other’s solo just like we do. 

With drink glasses in their hands, you can only guess what song was next. That’s right, going right into “Lemon Drop,” the crowd was ready to sing along with the members. From there, we got the electrifying “Shaboom.” This performance was full of energy. Watching Mingi rap as he got carried and spun around, and the unforgettable moment when each band member got their time to shine. It was a hype song, but our excitement didn’t end there. Right after was San’s shocking performance of his solo track “Creep.” San is a fantastic singer and dancer, and his thrilling performance left us all shocked. With a sensual group performance of “Outlaw,” this led us into the next solo on the setlist. Hongjoong’s track “NO1” took us from the concert setting into a rave. The strobe lights, his DJing, and the EDM instrumental gave us a concert moment we will never forget. The next track had the entire arena roaring. That’s because the following two tracks were solo songs by member Mingi called “Autobahn” and “ROAR.” The audience interaction made the song even more intense and boosted the energy of everyone there. 

After their third ment of the night, we moved to our next song of the night. The audience, with much enthusiasm, sang and danced along to the exciting track “WORK.” With high energy, we went to a track that many ATINYs had been anticipating to hear that night, “Ice On My Teeth.” From there, we all watched in awe as they performed their recent release “In Your Fantasy.” With it being so new, ATINYs did not disappoint and sang the song word for word. 

Now you know that a K-Pop concert is not over until you see the members in the tour merchandise. After a quick break, the screens lit up with an adorable video of the members in what looks to be a tour bus. As lyrics appeared on the screen, with smiles on all of our faces, we all sang along to their lively track “Castle.” As the screen dimmed and lifted, the members ran out in their tour merchandise. Singing a melody of their songs, “Say My Name,” “THANXX,” “TO THE BEAT,” “Good Lil Boy,” and “Crazy Form,” the audience was kept on their toes the entire time. We were then given a beautiful ment about fantasies, and with our group picture being taken, we were at the final three songs of the night. “Now this house ain’t a home,” “Enough,” and “FIN: WILL” were the three powerhouses that ended the night for us. Or so we thought. After exciting cheers from the audience, ATEEZ came right back and performed their final song (for real this time), “The Real (Hueng Version).” As they waved their lightsticks, so did we. Everyone was playful, excited, and enjoying the moment. 

ATEEZ truly did a fantastic job. They made this an unforgettable concert, as always. I recommend that everyone see ATEEZ at some point. It’s an experience that you will treasure forever.