Towards the Light: In Oakland, ATEEZ Shines Bright

By Phoebe Pineda

I first saw ATEEZ live in November 2022. My friend Laurel and I stood in the rain outside Oakland Arena for eight hours with nothing but light jackets and an umbrella we bought at a 7-11 on the way there. We had VIP tickets but only managed to catch the last song and a half of the soundcheck. We spent the show standing on the floor, where my five-foot-even self could only catch about 60% of what was happening onstage at any given moment. It was one of the greatest nights of my life.

There’s something magical about watching any artist you love perform live, but ATEEZ is in a class of its own. Despite humble beginnings from a lesser-known company, the 8-member K-pop boy group quickly captured international attention for their explosive performances, which are jam-packed with intense choreography, powerful live vocals, and captivating stage presence. They’ve tackled all sorts of musical concepts and aesthetics, with a discography spanning a broad range of genres and influences: hip-hop, Latin, EDM, rock—just to name a few. And their versatility shines through every show: they can shift from confident to vulnerable, vibrant to menacing, all in the span of a few songs. “Our personal color is a major stage,” main dancer Wooyoung said on The KStar Next Door, and make no mistake: they kill it every single time.

This past April, ATEEZ made history as the first K-pop boy group to perform at Coachella. True to form, their set was a spectacle that featured lion dancers, a live band, and a Kraken-slaying sword—and I watched it all on a live stream, both weekends, vibrating with adrenaline from home. But ATEEZ was not content with stopping at Coachella. With billboards and flyover banners teasing new music on the horizon, the group’s main vocalist, Jongho, told the crowd, “We can pick back up for another show another time, maybe…this summer?”

Which brings us to July 17: the day ATEEZ returned to Oakland for their “Towards the Light: Will to Power” tour.

The Pirate Life: A Crash Course in ATEEZ Lore

It’s difficult to discuss ATEEZ shows without discussing ATEEZ lore. Since their 2018 debut with the songs “Pirate King” and “Treasure,” the group’s identity has largely revolved around an intricate overarching storyline that weaves its way through their lyrics, music videos, album liner notes, and especially their live shows. I could give a three-hour TED Talk on the marketing genius of it all, but the short version is that ATEEZ is pirates—yes, pirates—using music and dance to fight a repressive dystopian government that has eliminated all emotion and expression. (Oh, and there’s also interdimensional travel involved. It’s complicated.)

ATEEZ’s commitment to their pirate image is unusual, and it’s a large part of what makes them so appealing. It’s a remarkably refreshing approach to music and performance in an increasingly oversaturated industry where it can be difficult for groups to stand out and find a solid, distinctive identity. ATEEZ is, in essence, the theater kids of K-pop, impressing industry vets and newcomers alike with their range and their risk-taking. Fans (called ATINY, or “ATEEZ + destiny”) flock to shows dressed as pirates, cowboys, characters from the music videos, and even the members’ favorite foods. We’ve all signed on for the treasure hunt, boarded the ship, and prepared to set sail.

In short, the anticipation and the expectations were high. And ATEEZ shattered them completely.

Recap: From Darkness to Light

True to its name, “Towards the Light: Will to Power” presents a story of ATEEZ’s members emerging from fear and darkness into a world of light and hope.

It opens on a fairly standard note, with the group performing three of their most bombastic, anthemic songs. “We’re changing the game,” they proclaim on “Crazy Form.” “Say My Name,” they command in one of their signature songs. On “Win,” they make yet another bold declaration: “We are gonna win.”

Then the lights go dark, and the show throws us into the world of ATEEZ’s rebellion. Hongjoong, ATEEZ’s captain, faces down a group of ominously hooded figures. Yunho, running from the massive all-seeing eye-in-the-sky watchtower setpiece, is shot down and dragged away. San is chained and beaten by a squadron of guards, and Seonghwa barely manages to escape as his friends are captured.

These dramatic interludes unfold between songs from ATEEZ’s The World trilogy of albums, threading together the group’s narrative. The gritty determination of “This World” and Jongho’s soaring high notes on “Wake Up” set the stage, the members preparing to face the darkness of a world without emotion. Armed with an electric guitar, Hongjoong ascends the tower to kick off “Guerrilla,” a loud, rock-infused rallying cry punctuated with earth-shaking crowd chants of “Break the wall!” A fiery solo from rapper Mingi leads into “Cyberpunk,” a song notorious for contrasting disillusioned lyrics with sensual choreography over a pulsing beat. “Halazia” follows a hypnotic incantation praying for liberation from a passionless existence. This struggle against the darkness finally culminates in “Silver Light,” as the members successfully overcome their despair and push forward with renewed hope.

Each member of ATEEZ is integral to the show. In addition to their dance and performance solos, which highlight their individual strengths (from Yeosang’s killer moves to Seonghwa’s heartrending facial expressions), the members perform songs in smaller subunits from their album The World: Will. San, Wooyoung, and Yeosang team up to mesmerize the crowd with the sultry slow jam “It’s You.” Longtime friends Yunho and Mingi duet for the wistful “Youth,” a lament over the difficulties of growing up that blossoms into a celebration of their joint ascent to stardom. Jongho showcases his belting prowess on the ballad “Everything,” and a bit later in the show, Hongjoong and Seonghwa light up the stage with their swaggering rap track “MATZ.”

The show’s tone shifts in the second half, the members shedding their vigilante personas and loosening up on the lighthearted summer bops “Dancing Like Butterfly Wings” and “Wave.” But the theatricality remains: Jongho’s head pops up out of the ground like buried treasure for “Work,” their most recent single, and the stage transforms into a saloon for the Western-inspired “Arriba” and “Django.” After hyping the crowd one more time with “Bouncy,” ATEEZ closed out the main portion of the show in true dramatic fashion with “Wonderland.” A modern take on a sea shanty remixed with samples of Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, the song features a sword-wielding Seonghwa challenging an inflatable Kraken—and winning. ATEEZ cements the victory they promised at the show’s outset, slaying not only the Kraken but our hearts.

The encore is an intimate affair, an opportunity for ATEEZ to goof off with the crowd during a medley of older songs (“Eternal Sunshine,” “Fireworks (I’m the One),” and “The Real”). Having paused throughout the show to catch their breath and check in with the crowd, the members break for one final heart-to-heart, sharing their thoughts and their gratitude before promising to return another time. The show lingers in this quiet moment a bit longer as the members sing “Turbulence,” a contemplative ballad that starts off melancholy before swelling with hope, Jongho’s confident tenor rising to the rafters. The energy picks up once again for the finale, as the upbeat “Dreamy Day” segues into a playful, celebratory rendition of “Utopia.” Shenanigans abound: Jongho sneaks up on Mingi to dump water on his head; Mingi, in turn, grabs a bottle to splash the crowd. It’s a fantastic ending to a fantastic night, a night I’m still thinking about weeks after the fact, watching footage from other shows with a mixture of envy and pride. My own videos are unfortunately marred by my unhinged ATINY screaming, but luckily, ATEEZ recently uploaded a vlog of the Oakland show to YouTube. It offers a delightful glimpse into not only the concert experience itself but some of the hard work (and play!) that goes on behind the scenes. I highly recommend checking it out.

ATEEZ’s latest EP, Golden Hour: Part.1, is available on all major streaming platforms. They also recently released “Hush-Hush,” a collaboration with J-pop group BE:FIRST. They are, in my opinion, everything you could ever want in a music group, and I promise that whether you’re looking for a hype anthem, a summer jam, or a comforting ballad, in their discography, you will find the treasure you seek.