Minutes before Ive graced the stage at State Farm Arena Sunday night, a sea of fans — who were either dressed in K-pop cosplay or holding Ive light sticks or both — screamed so loud it was as if their entire lives led up to this moment.
Perhaps it did. After all, Ive has rapidly become one of most popular girl groups on the planet, and Sunday night marked the Atlanta stop of their first world tour, titled “Show What I Have.” Since dropping music in 2021, the sextet (comprised of Gaeul, Yujin, Rei, Wonyoung, Liz, and Leeseo) released a hit single (”Eleven”), dropped their debut album “I’ve Ive,” won coveted awards and collaborated with Grammy-nominated rapper Saweetie. The group’s concert Sunday night was a fan-centered celebration of that swift yet very successful journey.
Ive, wearing sparkly white skirt sets with white boots, opened the show with “I Am,” the lead single on their debut album. It was an appropriate opener adorned with loads of choreography that set the tone for the high-energy show. Throughout their roughly two-hour set, Ive ensured that the tour lived up to its name.
They frequently performed on both sides of the stage, sang and danced the night away to their up-tempo songs and had quieter moments for their stripped-down songs, which allowed their voices to shine (i.e. “Heroine”). The group’s set design was just as stellar. For “Cherish,” the group performed against a social media-themed background that revealed text messages of the song lyrics and an Ivestagram aka Instagram page. Their performance of “Shine With Me” featured a forest background filled with pink and blue trees while the group wore blue dresses that made them look like Disney princesses.
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
A bulk of the show was a conversation between the group and their fans, dotingly called Dive. Ive talked about having a great time in Atlanta, which included trips to the Georgia Aquarium and a Hawks game. They even gave details about their fashion choices for the night.
During breaks in between sets, the group projected short videos on the screen that further showcased their star potential. The first video featured the six members making new music in a lab while stating the elements of their sound: a variety of stages, dazzling choreography and high-octave vocals. The next video had a creepier tone, as they revealed some sort of horror short that featured the members of the group. It was an interlude to their hazy single “Hypnosis.”
The best moment of Sunday’s concert arrived when the group introduced the units act of the night, a makeshift talent show where members of the group perform covers of popular songs individually or in a duo. Gaeul performed a cover of Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings.” Rei performed Niki’s “Every Summertime.” Gaeul and Rei performed the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe.” Liz and Wonyoung performed Richard Sanderson’s “Reality,” and Leeseo and Yujin performed Little Mix’s “Woman Like Me.” Each set gave fans an opportunity to experience the wide-ranging talent of each member. The act felt like you were watching a very theatrical and extremely elevated version of a karaoke session.
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
Throughout the show, Ive interacted with fans and explained the meanings behind different shows, acting as charming tour guides during the night. As a nod to Atlanta, the group also performed a dance break to Justin Bieber’s 2021 smash hit “Peaches.”
Before ending the show with “All Night,” each member took another opportunity to thanks fans for the love they’ve received throughout their time in Atlanta.
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
Credit: Photo by: Terence Rushin @photor
“Atlanta dive made me feel like I’m becoming more of myself and becoming Vicky [her English name],” Wonyoung said.
