By Mark Savage, Music Correspondent
BBCSeventeen, the initial K-pop band to play on the principal Pyramid Stage, are the first to do so at the Glastonbury Festival.
The 13-piece group delivered an afternoon of precise dance and thick pop music to an audience of die-hard fans and curious onlookers on Friday afternoon.
” We are really extremely delighted to be here”, they said.
” Even though the speech, nation and society are all unique, we can also attach as one, through music”.
Seventeen released more than 10 million albums in the year, making them the best-selling party in the world, but they only managed to reach the Top 40 in the UK last month.
In light of all of that, they put up a setlist that concentrated on the songs that were the most fast and available.
Maestro, their biggest hit, was the first single from them, which combines sweet vocals and fast-paced rapping with bumpy piano riffs and unexpected rhythmic switch-ups.
It’s one of their most ambitious lines, but it was the music with guitar chords and quickly chanted English ones that came in best, among them the rap-heavy record Lalali, the rough 2 Minus 1, and the sinagalong anthem Popular.
” Have you heard of Seventeen before”, asked group head S Coups at one place. ” But some people, best”?
The creative conducting made it possible for all 13 people to flourish. The group is divided into smaller” sub-units” based on their vocal, rap, and dancing prowess, with each receiving a single location.
Seungkwan and bandleader S Coups roiling the audience the most, while Woozi’s bright singers were juxtaposed with Vernon and Joshua’s more heartfelt voices.
Even so, at first glance, the Glastonbury visitors appeared skeptical.
After Squeeze and Olivia Dean earlier in the day had pumped up the field in front of the Pyramid Stage, there were significant pockets of vacant place as Seventeen dived into Maestro, their first song.
However, as the group worked hard to get the visitors on their part by racing onto the step and descending into the group to pique their interest over the course of an hour, questions were dispelled.
The beautifully daft disco-dance anthem Quite Nice, which had a dozen false endings, had a high energy level as the group regrouped for a second chorus.
The display was a signal of K- punk’s growing chart dominance. Seventeen of the leading 10 best-selling artists in the world last year were South Korean, followed by Stray Kids, TomorrowxTomorrow, and NewJeans.
In fact, Glastonbury is somewhat delayed to the group. BTS and Blackpink, two of which were played at Wembley Stadium in 2019, made up the music for both Coachella and the BST festival in London next year.
The Pyramid Stage performance by a K-pop group was” so sudden but really, truly brilliant,” said American fan Milia, who donned a custom football T-shirt with the name Hoshi on it.
” These acts are going all over the world, and it’s really wonderful to see Glastonbury really putting them on.” You can see by the group, there’s a lot of people around – whether they’re supporters or they’re really looking for something different. More of it should be visible.
” K- Pop coming to the UK is the way to go”, agreed Ami, who’d been in the top string with her child Molly.
” I’ve been working at Glastonbury for 22 years, we’ve got a Thai meal barn, and I’ve always stepped foot near the Pyramid Stage”, she added. ” This is our first time, and I loved it.
” They’re just so handsome, are n’t they? They’re but fit!”
Did you notice that one of the audience members cheered as well as the other viewers members? ” said London- based supporter Qi”. That was Seungkwan, who’s our discrimination.
” It’s not like they were anxious or trying to behave themselves. They were therefore relaxed, they were lively and they were confident, just like always. That’s why we love them”.
Despite the significance of the time, the band certainly seemed relaxed, occasionally breaking out of their precision-obsoleted dance to connect with viewers and hurling hearty signs into the atmosphere.
” Thank you so much for inviting us”, said Joshua. ” We’re Seventeen. Consider that”.
Their followers will not forget.
Setlist
- Maestro
- Ready To Love
- SOS
- Rock With You
- 2 Minus 1 ( Joshua &, Vernon )
- I Do n’t Understand But I Luv U ( Performance Unit )
- Cheers To Youth
- Lalali
- Clap
- Hot
- Headliner
- God Of Song
- Quite Nice
