DAVIDE K-POP

On Tuesday, April 29th, wave to earth delivered a sold-out show in London at the O2 Academy Brixton for their “play with earth” Tour, and I still have chills just writing this review – that’s how insanely good they were!

Just a few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to jump on a call with the guys to ask some questions about the tour (check interview here). They had just wrapped up their South America leg and were getting ready for the European one. Amidst all of this, John even got married the day after our interview (John, if you’re reading this, congratulations!). It’s definitely a busy time for them, but despite that, they delivered a performance of a lifetime. This was my first time seeing them, and I was completely blown away by how good they were; there are no better words to describe the entire experience.

As I got closer to the venue, the sheer number of people made it clear it was a sold-out show. This feeling intensified as soon as I stepped inside – it was so packed it felt almost overwhelming. You could feel the love and anticipation radiating from all the fans, so I’m sure wave to earth felt it too as soon as they stepped onto the stage!

wave to earth is an indie band under WAVY, home to other amazing artists like COLDE and Kawakii (who we recently reviewed as well). They’re known for doing everything themselves, from playing all the instruments and songwriting to art direction and so much more – a full-on creative process from start to finish. With that in mind, their clear creative vision shone through the entire show; it was mind-blowing.

The show kicked off at 7:30 sharp – I love a band that’s on time! They opened with an instrumental intro before launching into “are you bored?”, followed by “play with earth!”, the track that gives the tour its name. Up next were “peach eyes” together with the viral hit “bad,” and then “beck.”

I was standing there just thinking, “Omg, they are incredible!” They didn’t just show up and press play on a computer. Every single song on the setlist felt live and thoughtfully crafted, with a rock fusion that blended incredibly, creating captivating intros for each one.

The goosebumps I had throughout the entire show were insane. I don’t recall having this feeling in a very long time, probably not since I saw Depeche Mode over a decade ago. We weren’t even halfway through the concert, and I already felt like I was in heaven.

The concert continued with “slow dive” – what a magical voice Daniel has! “holyland” was up next. For each song, the stage presence was incredible, with amazing lighting that perfectly set the mood. So well thought out! “homesick” was played next, and it was so sweet; the stage turned blue with the lights. When they played “love.”, the whole stage turned red (of course!) for this song, and they opened it with an amazing instrumental arrangement.

They finally took a little break to thank the fans, and John asked if we had missed them. Even though it was my first time seeing them perform, it felt like I had been missing their music too. The guys then jumped into the next song, “Ride” and the chills returned with every single song. During the “Pueblo” performance, Daniel even jumped off the stage to get closer to the audience! Everyone was screaming!

After that, Daniel thanked the fans again before starting the next song, asking if everyone was doing alright. They then kicked off with “Light,” and just before the last song, “annie,” Daniel introduced the members of the band.

What a show!! An amazing performance from start to finish!!

Daniel took a moment to introduce the encore, saying that they were the most emotional songs of the setlist. The atmosphere shifted, creating a softer and more relaxed mood. What a perfect way to say goodbye; it felt like they were giving us a big warm hug! They started with the magical “wave,” followed by “seasons,” and the last song of the night, “pink.”

Just like that, it was time to say goodbye. What a night! The whole theatre was on fire, the love from the fans was pure and genuine, and wave to earth was sharing that same energy and love on stage.

The whole show was incredible, and now I completely understand why it was a sold-out show! It really makes me want to see them again very soon! Make sure to catch them in your city; they just opened in London and will be in Manchester on the 2nd of May.

Huge thanks to Live Nation and WAVY for having me. All photos credit to Davide K-pop.