After three years, BLACKPINK returns to your area
On November 6 and 7, Korean pop (K-pop) girl group BLACKPINK performed at the First Ontario Centre in Hamilton, their only Canadian stop in the BORN PINK World Tour. This was BLACKPINK’s first world tour since their pre-pandemic In Your Area world tour, where they performed in the same venue in 2019. Both shows sold out and I was lucky enough to get tickets for the November 7 concert through the General Presale.
BLACKPINK consists of four members: Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa. For their concert, they were backed by the live band The Band Six, which was a surprise as K-pop concerts often rely on pre-recorded backtracks rather than live instrumentals. Like many K-pop concerts, BLACKPINK’s performance was a high-energy affair, with extravagant special effects and countless backup dancers which made it a fun, over-the-top spectacle. It wasn’t just a music concert; it was a show.
Before I could enjoy the show, though, I had to get to the concert venue. BLACKPINK’s two Hamilton dates were their only Canadian stops, and they were right at the beginning of the U of T reading week and 2L in-firms. Combined with GO bus strikes that started on November 7 and the rush hour traffic between Toronto and Hamilton, it was a hassle to arrange transportation. Fans on Twitter had also expressed surprise that BLACKPINK picked Hamilton, a city not even in the Greater Toronto Area, for their concert. Given BLACKPINK’s popularity, I think they could have sold enough tickets to fill a Toronto venue.
Despite the travel struggles, fans—known as BLINKs—were excited to attend the concert, and the anticipation was high. Many BLINKs lined up hours before the concert to purchase merchandise, such as sweaters and t-shirts, as well as the official lightstick—a light-up black and pink hammer for fans to use during concerts. Many fans also dressed up, styling modern, trendy outfits in the band’s titular colours.
The concert opened with a bang when BLACKPINK entered the stage to perform “How You Like That,” a forceful pop song with a drum-and-bass-heavy dance break. It certainly set the tone for the rest of the concert, as fans screamed along and waved their lightsticks to the beat. The live band added power, as the drums were more emphasized than in the studio version of the song, creating a strong beat that audiences could feel in their bodies. Cannons launched pink streamers into the air and flame machines blasted plumes of fire up in front of the stage. These special effects were used generously throughout the concert, perhaps to the point of being excessive for the more aggressive performances of girl-power songs like “Playing With Fire” and “Kill This Love.”
The concert proceeded in four acts and an encore, each separated by a short costume change break. They performed songs from their studio albums Born Pink and The Album and EPs. Musically, there were some minor issues with mixing: occasionally, the band drowned out the girls’ voices, making it difficult to hear the lyrics. Some performances were also clearly lip-synced, which was not unexpected given that K-pop artists tend to lip-sync in live performances.
The highlight of the concert was Act III, the solos. Each of the girls took on a solo stage, performing one or two songs while the others stayed backstage. Jisoo, having released no solo tracks to date, performed a cover of “Liar” by Camilla Cabello with a sexy Spanish-inspired dance. Jennie performed an unreleased track, “You & Me (Moonlight),” featuring a sweet partner dance that gave the illusion of truly dancing in the moonlight, thanks to clever lighting effects. Rosé sang “Hard to Love” and “On the Ground,” showing off the emotional voice that made her famous as BLACKPINK’s vocalist. Finally, Lisa finished off the act with “Lalisa” and “Money,” two hard-hitting hip-hop songs that showcased her dancing skills and the stage presence she is most known for. The solos allowed each girl to show off her strengths and work the stage, supported by a cast of talented backup dancers.
However, when the four performed together, there were some awkward moments, especially regarding their sync and staging. At moments, their dancing was noticeably out of sync, with the girls dancing the same moves all out of time. This was quite disappointing because K-pop is so known for its highly choreographed dances. The stage was also quite large for four girls, with the main stage and a thrust stage into the general admission standing area. When there were backup dancers this was not an issue, but space was left glaringly empty when it was just BLACKPINK members. I would have liked to see them use the thrust stage more to be closer to the audience. Plus, the girls lacked coordination regarding where they stood: sometimes, three members gathered in one part of the stage, with a fourth member on the opposite side—all seemingly unaware of each other.
In the end, I can only describe the concert as an experience. It wasn’t just about the music; it was also about the dancing, the atmosphere, and the overall spectacle. BLACKPINK was dynamic and energetic, and as performers, they kept the energy going throughout the two hour show.
Having completed the North American leg of the BORN PINK tour, BLACKPINK is now in Europe and will be travelling to Asia and Oceania next. Unless you’re willing to travel internationally, you’ll have to wait until the next time they’re in Canada. But, even if you aren’t a diehard BLINK, I highly recommend trying to snag tickets next time they’re here for a fun-filled K-pop experience you won’t forget.
Anecdotal cost for Hamilton: $130 (upper bowl seating) to $280 (general admission standing); prices also depended on Ticketmaster fluctuations and resale prices.
Europe tour dates and information: https://www.aegpresents.co.uk/home/blackpink-world-tour-europe
