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AESPA
@ Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney,
30th August, 2024
(Live Review)

Review by Celine May

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With Australia’s love for K-Pop prevalent, K-Pop tours are hitting our shores more than ever before – the latest being aespa! The hyper-pop girl group kicked off the Australian leg of their SYNK: PARALLEL LINE tour at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on the 30th and 31st August.

Since their formation in late 2020, the four member group – Giselle, Karina, Ningning and Winter – have built a brand around hyper pop, hip hop, and metaverse concepts. In fact the ‘ae’ in ‘aespa’ quite literally means Avatar and Experience. While the stage production certainly built this atmosphere, the show did have its shortcomings.

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Qudos Bank Arena buzzed with various energy – fans, sporting plain denim and tees to dazzling Aespa-inspired outfits. There was a 30 minute delay as it coincided with a footy game next door, this extra time helped patrons file in and fill the arena. I was surprised with the lack of a catwalk and second stage; a first for a Kpop concert here, so it was interesting to see if or how that would impact the experience.

The concert kicked off with a sensory explosion – a ‘Welcome To My World’ VCR followed by the commanding hit ‘Drama’, debut single ‘Black Mamba’ and ‘Salty and Sweet’. Three fierce back to back songs with pyrotechnics and an army of back up dancers that juxtaposed their dazzling white corsets and tutus. 

Following a VCR, they returned to stage in silver-touched outfits and performed their viral anthem “Supernova” with galactic stage visuals. “Mine” brought a touch of drama with smoke effects and a staircase stage set. 

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Their performances are not for those with light or sound sensitivity as they use a fair amount of strobe lights and cannon sounds throughout the course of the show. Given their not-so-strong stage presence, they may use this to support.

For the first time, Aespa formally introduced themselves and hinted at the next set of songs. They would have benefited from earlier crowd engagement and generally more pauses to interact and chat.

“Thirsty” transported us to an underwater world with its aquatic visuals then “Prologue” and “Long Chat” bringing confetti and dainty, charming photo frames bordering the venue screens.

Following another VCR, the solo performances began. Giselle performed unreleased, sensual ‘Dopamine’ in a burgundy dress and couch setup, while Karina’s “Up” showcased her rap skills in a street-style production. NingNing’s solo Bored! differed; Ariana Grande similarities, blinged up in a black coat. Winter’s ‘Spark’ was by far a standout; bold, whimsical, well choreographed, lavender hued.

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While VCRs are not a new concept, their lengths somewhat slowed down the pace and energy.

Next up was catchy and playful “Spicy” and “Licorice”. “Hold On Tight” stole the show; the infectious, hypnotic melody, and lyrics glowing in computerised green on the screen was captivating. 

As the final notes faded, Aespa paused and hinted at the next song, saying we may not be familiar as it was a cover of Seo Taiji and Boys’s ‘Regret of the Times’. Upbeat, cheerful “Live My Life” proceeded then launched into “We Go” with a playful Pokemon-themed VCR, a treat for Pokemen fans!

Another video interlude and digital performance by ‘nævis’ the group’s AI persona, consuming roughly 10 mins time. Looking back at previous shows, it’s interesting and disappointing that mega hits ‘Savage’ and ‘Illusion’ were removed from the setlist, and the AI stage remained. 

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AESPA re-emerged in all black, leather and chunky boots, ready for “Trick or Treat” with fun choreography, chair work, and bursts of confetti and pyrotechnics. Set the Tone, Next Level, and Armageddon are all powerful, darker, popular tracks which got the crowd hyped.

Fan dance time followed suit, a common segment of Kpop shows. The camera panned to fans, prompting them to dance to particular Aespa songs, replicating the moves displayed on the main screen.

VCR played before the encore which saw the group trade their fierce looks for comfy casual outfits, donning their merch, and diving into tropical, idyllic english song ‘BAHAMA’ then sweet ‘Melody’.

A final group photo opportunity with the crowd capped off the night.

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While the production value was undeniably innovative and impressive, there were areas where the concert fell short. Unfortunately the crowd engagement was minimal; they did not necessarily give speeches, read out the many signs in the crowd, or interact with those in the mosh. Their stage presence, while confident, didn’t have the energy or commanding aura seen in other K-Pop acts. 

Overall, while the Aespa concert showcased their unique charm, it didn’t quite live up to the expectations I had based on Aespa’s reputation and the hype surrounding the shows. 

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Follow aespa
TikTok – Twitter
 Instagram – YouTube  – Facebook

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AMNPLIFY – DB