On May 16, Blackpink announced their highly anticipated Deadline World Tour. They are currently touring across the world, and have already performed in cities like Seoul, Los Angeles (LA), and several other locations.
Kicking off their world tour, Los Angeles was their second location. Tickets for their Los Angeles concert at Sofi Stadium sold out within minutes. Due to such high demand, YG Entertainment, Blackpink’s company, decided to add another day in LA, which also sold out. This set a new record, as Blackpink was the first girl group to sell out Sofi Stadium for multiple nights.
We had the opportunity to attend the second day of their LA concert on July 13, and it was such an incredible experience. Getting Blackpink merchandise, dressing up, and screaming our lungs out to the lyrics of every one of their iconic songs all added up to an amazing concert day.
We even had the privilege of being there for Bruno Mars’ surprise guest appearance for Rosé’s hit song “APT”. We definitely won’t forget the deafening roars of the crowd the moment he appeared anytime soon. It was such a unique surprise that also added to our concert experience.
That being said, Bruno Mars’ appearance became a point of contention among the media, primarily among Day 1 attendees who were upset that Mars didn’t perform during the first day.
Although we had a great time, fans and netizens online have shown much disappointment in the group’s performance during the tour so far. Clips on the media show the members not being in sync at all, seeming as if they did not put much effort into the concert preparation.
Ever since their last world tour, “Born Pink” in 2023, the members have each begun to focus on expanding their solo careers, leaving many fans concerned about how they would perform together again as a group.
Seeing the asynchronous dancing of the members only validated their fears.
Some people online have even noted that the concert felt like four soloists placed together in a room.
But as people who attended the concert in person, the synchronization of the members was not something we were fixated on. We were instead focused on the girls’ live vocals, beautiful visuals, and the overall vibe of the concert.
Another issue that bothered the fans was the lack of group activity prior to the concert. Between their last concert two years ago to this concert, Blackpink hadn’t released a single group song.
Nonetheless, Blackpink did end up releasing a new single, “Jump” specifically for this year’s tour. It premiered live during their opening night in Korea, and was officially released later in the week.
Their solo performances also added a fresh new touch from their past concerts. Especially as the members now have their own kind of flair, performing their own solo stages definitely fostered their individuality even more.
Seeing the concert in person was definitely an eye-opening experience that was very different from simply watching videos or clips online.
We will forever cherish our amazing experience at the Blackpink tour in Los Angeles. Despite the controversy in the media, our time there was truly unforgettable.