On the 16th of June, the O2 Arena saw crowds of amazingly dressed K-Pop fans of all ages and walks of life come together for the final date of the European leg of IVE’s Show What I Have world tour. The stadium was full of beautiful lightsticks as fans sang and danced to songs by the six member girl group playing in the background, and the atmosphere was electric a long time before the show started.
Yet, the buzz in the arena could not compare to the moment IVE stepped out from behind the screens and made their way to the centre stage to start the show.
If there was a perfect way to start a concert: IVE hit the nail on the head as they burst into their hit 2023 song “I AM.” They captured the hearts of the audience with their talent and beauty, but also interacted with the fans as they performed. For many, it was their first time seeing IVE live since the group debuted in 2021, and they couldn’t have started with a better and more upbeat song.
Moving between the main and extended stages, IVE used the entire arena space available to ensure all the fans saw them as they performed tracks like “ROYAL,” “Blue Heart,” and many more. Even with lesser known songs, crowds across the arena were belting and dancing along with the members. IVE finished the first part of the show with “ELEVEN,” and for fans who had been with the members since debut, hearing the group’s debut song live was definitely an emotional experience.
All idols look beautiful on stage, but there was something magical about IVE’s outfits during the shows. The show started with the members wearing elegant and regal light blue outfits which were so different in shape and style that it perfectly fitted with each members’ personality, body shape, and taste in clothing.
The next part of the show saw the members change into equally beautiful and elegant pink outfits that were full of sparkles as they focused on performing their B-side tracks, like “Lips” and “Off The Record”.
Following an amazing start to the show, IVE changed the pace of the show instantly.
It seems to have become the norm for idol groups to have a segment dedicated to solo or unit stages. As the members went to change, Leeseo and Yujin stayed and interacted with the fans, giving them spoilers for what fans could expect. A huge part of the show was IVE’s interactions with the crowds in between songs. While all the members could speak English, the presence of the translator allowed IVE to feel more comfortable when interacting with each other and the fans. They seemed more at ease and had a joke around.
As Leeseo and Gaeul left the stage, DIVEs (the name of the group’s fans) saw the individual personalities of the IVE members. There was the sexiness of Gaeul performing Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings, along with Leeseo and Yujin performing Little Mix’s “Woman Like Me”. The simplicity of Wonyoung and Liz’s duet and the sassiness of Gaeul and Rei performing Spice Girl’s “Wannabe” meant there was something for everyone. While the solo and unit stages were the same across the whole tour, something about performing Spice Girls and Little Mix in London felt electric and even the members felt the difference.
For the penultimate part of the show, IVE gave fans something completely different from what fans had seen so far. The contrast was seen immediately as the members went from princesses to witches, dressed in black and on a stage full of props. IVE began with their B-Side from I’ve Ive, “Hypnosis,” which saw the members using rocking chairs and sheets to portray a more creepy and mystical feeling.
This part of the show was definitely perfect for the more casual fan as the songs were all their hit title tracks, including the hits “LOVE DIVE,” “Baddie,” and “Kitsch.” Fans also screamed their lungs out as the two new tracks, “HEYA” and “Accendio,” were included. Each song was fundamentally different, but IVE put in 110% throughout, showcasing their live vocal abilities and charisma. As the members claimed that “HEYA” was the last song, everyone knew it was time for the encore. Even after nearly two hours, the energy inside the O2 Arena was electric.
DIVEs filled up the scream-o-meter, and IVE came back on with their customised tour t-shirts and went straight into their song “OTT”. Although the members had been performing at full energy all show, it felt like they were re-energized. Like all artists in concert, they wanted to give their final messages to fans as they thanked DIVEs for their support, shared their excitement about being in London for the first, and promised to come back.
After their emotional but truly positive comments, IVE ended on a huge note as they bust out their track “All Night.” But as the song ended, they started singing again, and again… and again. The members truly didn’t want to leave DIVEs and the feeling was mutual as everyone sung and danced in the crowd until the time when IVE really left the stage and the night ended on the most energetic note possible.
The fourth-generation of K-Pop might be known for over-the-top concepts and complicated choreography, but IVE proved that simplicity, elegance, and raw talent still goes a long way.
IVE can be found on Instagram here and on all major streaming platforms.
