STAYs in London, you heard the call, and Stray Kids absolutely dominated the stage this weekend! The energy was next level as the global K-Pop phenomenon brought their <dominATE> World Tour to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They hit the ground running with a sold-out show on July 18th, and the demand was so real, they had to drop another date on July 19th! Talk about making history.
If you know, you know: Stray Kids aren’t just a group, they’re a movement. This tour? It’s their first full stadium run, a massive flex after their “MANIAC” world tour, and they’re seriously levelling up to connect with even more STAYs worldwide. Think Latin America, North America, Europe – they’re putting in the work.
For anyone new to the hype, meet the eight masterminds: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, HAN, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. These guys don’t just perform; they’re producing fire tracks, crafting their unique sound, and honestly, just being iconic. They’ve been topping charts, headlining major festivals (remember when they slayed BST Hyde Park last year? I was there, and I’ve been counting down the days for this comeback!), and proving time and again why they’re global game-changers.
Their latest album, “HOP,” followed by the newest EP “Hollow” are a whole vibe, a playful nod to their eight members, and let’s be real, they totally ate with those tracks. The tour setlist is a sick mix of new bangers and STAY faves like “Back Door,” “God’s Menu,” and “MANIAC.”
So, you already know the anticipation was through the roof. I’ve been hyped since last year, and tonight did not disappoint. Enough intro, though! Let’s get into how Stray Kids ATE London UP tonight. Stay!
Imagine this: an ocean of synced light sticks floating in the stadium, the energy so intense you could practically touch it. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was absolutely packed with fans from all over—Poland, Italy, just to name a few! What really stood out to me was how many families were there. Parents with their kids—were the parents or the kids Stray Kids fans? I’m guessing both, especially after seeing them live! Stray Kids absolutely devoured the stage during their over three-hour show!
Right on time, the show kicked off at 7 PM! The opening was amazing, super high energy with a massive flag stating “Stray Kids” on the screen. The first set was pure hype. Lots of dancers in parade uniforms were marching and dancing, with gigantic flags floating high in the air—it was the perfect opening. Then, the big entrance: Stray Kids made their appearance and the whole stadium was locked in!
Stray Kids opened with “MOUNTAINS,” what a way to start! That was followed by my forever favorite “Thunderous” and “JJAM,” definitely one of the best tracks on ATE. This first set of songs set the bar super high for the entire night; the hype was incredible just from these three!
They then took a moment for some introductions, everyone one by one, and thanked fans for coming to their second London show for the <dominATE> tour. Bang Chan even made a joke about dominating the UK, saying, “Are you ready to be dominATEd?!” It was hilarious!
They then resumed performing with “District 9” and “Back Door.” I especially love “Back Door”—it’s the song that made me discover Stray Kids back in 2020, so seeing it live was absolutely amazing. The guys really nailed it!
Time for another short break, but this time, it was SKZ’s dancers who performed a medley of “Hellevator,” “Easy,” “S-Class,” “Walkin’ on Water,” “Charmer,” “VENOM,” and “Hall of Fame.” After this amazing, high-energy dance performance, an incredible intro video rolled, opening up to a new stage setup that revealed a red convertible car. Stray Kids also had an outfit change into fresh red looks.
A few notes of the track started playing, and Hyunjin walked out, removing his sunglasses as he sang his iconic first line of the super powerful “Chk Chk Boom!” While the car disappeared into the background, the live band appeared! I’ve said this in other reviews, but when a K-Pop show brings a live band on stage, it’s about to go to another level! So, so good!
Up next: “DOMINO” and “God’s Menu,” two more iconic tracks that are even better live than their studio versions. Everyone was screaming and dancing—how could you not?! Just as “God’s Menu” was about to wrap up, SKZ left the stage, but the band kept playing, and it was incredible. They each had solo moments, showcasing their individual talents. This moment alone elevated the whole show even more!
It was then time for the unit performances. First up was “Truman,” performed by HAN & Felix. Great energy, and they closed by holding pink smoke fireworks at the end. Then it was Changbin & I.N’s turn with “Burnin’ Tires,” such an energetic performance full of cool props. At the end, they had a very fun sketch and interaction to light up more fireworks!
“ESCAPE” by Bang Chan & Hyunjin was up next, with dancers wearing white tunics to start, which they then removed to reveal an edgy black look. I’ll be honest with you all, I was hoping for “Red Lights”—that would have been even cooler, but maybe I’m a bit biased since I really like that song! To wrap up these units, Lee Know & Seungmin performed “CINEMA,” a sweet ballad accompanied by rainbow confetti fireworks lighting up the sky.
After a little break, SKZ were back on stage, performing “GIANT” (Korean ver.), with probably the most iconic set piece of the night: a massive inflatable giant covering the stage—the perfect visual for this song! After this, they performed one of their latest tracks, “Walkin’ on Water,” and the super iconic “S-Class” (VMA ver.), which concluded with some epic fireworks.
They then took another little break to chat with the fans. They talked about the unit performances and celebrated their seventh anniversary. They then performed “Lonely St.,” “Cover Me,” and the iconic “TOPLINE.”
“Social Path” (Korean ver.) was up next, and I must say, I think this song is everyone’s favorite because the whole stadium was singing and screaming along! They then wrapped up this set with the viral “LALALALA.”
SKZ took another moment to thank the fans and, unfortunately, to say goodbye as the show was coming to an end. They then decided to do a screaming competition among fans, divided into three tiers: floor, first, and second ring. My poor ears! Thank goodness I was wearing my earplugs!
“MEGAVERSE” and “MANIAC” (MAMA ver.) officially closed Stray Kids’ <dominATE> World Tour in London, Day 2… Or was it really the end?! Of course not! We had the amazing encore! Probably the best encore I’ve ever seen—I don’t know if you’d agree, but it really stood out to me.
Stray Kids got back on stage in some school-uniform-inspired blazers—very cute! The whole experience was out of this world! They jumped on these elevated cars and navigated around the stadium for a closer experience with the fans! This way, even those who weren’t as close as those on the floor had a chance to see SKZ up close. Such a nice touch; all groups should do that! While they were “driving” around the stadium, they performed “SUPER BOARD,” “I Like It,” and “My Pace.” By the time they finished the first three songs, they were back on stage to perform “Blind Spot.”
They then took a moment to thank the fans one more time for making this night so special. When they decided to take a picture with the audience, a special surprise video from UK STAYs to Stray Kids popped up on screen. It was very emotional; it made me tear up a bit, so I can only imagine how that must have felt for the guys themselves! After the group photo, they then performed “Stray Kids” and “MIROH.”
“Chk Chk Boom” (festival ver.) and “GET LIT” officially closed the three-hour-long show. A show full of energy, good vibes, amazing performances, and an unforgettable experience.
Stray Kids once again showcased the powerhouse they are—how talented and good they are! And how human and kind they are. Bang Chan, while thanking the fans, also thanked everyone from the security at the stadium to the hair and makeup staff. As the SKZ leader jokingly said, that’s what makes Stray Kids human again before going on stage. That really shows how these guys, despite their enormous popularity, keep it down to earth, making them even more likable!
On top of that, WHAT A SHOW. Bang Chan jokingly said at the beginning of the show, “Are you ready to be dominATEd?!” And we all definitely were dominated by the amazing show—from different stages and lighting to fireworks and, of course, Stray Kids’ incredible performances and stage presence! Stray Kids once again reminded us all that K-Pop is a force to be reckoned with, one that unifies people despite their different backgrounds, because we are all stray kids, unified in the celebration of music.
DAVIDE K-POP 