Event
[CONCERT RECAP] KAMP LA: Attendees Share A Memorable Weekend
Fans and artists came together to make the best of a bad situation at KAMP LA 2022.
KAMP LA 2022 is not an event anyone will soon forget. The festival was held on October 15 (Saturday) and 16 (Sunday) at The Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA. The festival promised attendees an immersive K-Pop experience, with over fifteen groups scheduled to perform.
Still, that promise would never come true as various issues emerged less than 36 hours before the first artist was set to perform. Quickly nicknamed by many on Twitter as Fyre Fest 2.0, the festival forged on. Here’s a breakdown of what happened at KAMP LA earlier this month.
The Weird
Outside of the K-Pop artist performing, what really makes a K-Pop concert memorable is the experience among fans. Fans customize their lightsticks, create freebies to hand out, and fund banner projects for their idols to see in the crowd from the stage, to name a few. The two weeks leading up to KAMP were like any other concert, filled with ticket contests, signed album giveaways, and the release of last-minute updates. However, as KAMP approached, organizers sent free ticket emails to anyone who entered any of their contests, with the ability to redeem up to four free seats in the grandstands. Not to mention with everything but lightsticks being banned, it left fans wondering what was coming next.
The Bad
Like any concert or festival, there’s bound to be an issue or two. Sadly, KAMP LA was plagued with problems before the event began, which continued throughout. Attendees cited the most significant problem was an overall lack of communication and untimely updates on what was happening. Many fans traveled from out of state and even out of the country to see their favorite artist(s) perform, only to find out they weren’t coming the day before.
Aside from the most talked about issue online, artists performing on stage experienced more than their fair share of difficulties. From inner ears not working to the wrong music being played, artists took whatever was thrown at them in stride.
The Good
Taking the stage on day one, P1Harmony wowed the audience with their synchronized choreography and on-key vocals, effortlessly going from song to song, such as “Do it Like This,” “Black Hole,” and “Doom Du Doom.” They are performers through and through, and it showed in their abilities on stage.
AESPA served as closers for day two, stunning attendees with their striking visuals and charms. Fans were captivated by seeing AESPA live, and at times there wasn’t a phone in the air not recording this monumental moment as they performed songs such as “Black Mamba,” “Illusion,” and “Savage.”
Last but certainly not least in “the good” is Momoland. This sextuplet not only performed mere hours after arriving in the U.S. on day one but also on day two. Attendees sang along to some of the group’s most notable songs, such as “Bboom Bboom,” “BAM,” and “Yummy Yummy Love.”
The Amazing
SUPER JUNIOR. EPIK HIGH. iKON. CHUNG HA. TFN. These six groups were nothing short of amazing during their set list at KAMP.
As was SUPER JUNIOR’s first time in the U.S. as a nearly complete group, to say they brought their A-Game is an understatement. Closing out day one, the group took the stage as if it was a stop on tour instead of a group performing at a festival. The group not only delighted ELF with fan favorites like “Devil,” “Sorry, Sorry,” and “Black Suit,” as well inescapably picked up some new fans along the way. Aside from their fantastic performance, the highlight for many fans was the impromptu hi-touch SUPER JUNIOR gave meet and greet ticket holders.
No stranger to K-Pop festivals, soloist Chung Ha enraptured fans with her performance on day two. Dancing with four of her dancers as well as solo, she smoothly strutted from the main stage down to the lower location and back to greet fans with performances of “Snapping,” “Sparkling,” and “Roller Coaster.” Not only did she personally acknowledge fans holding up her albums or signs in the crowd, but she also gave attendees a special gift in the form of a pre-released song off her upcoming album. She ended her set by thanking the audience for coming and requesting that we invite her back again.
TFN, formerly known as T1419, may have had some technical issues on day one, but you’d never know it due to their outstanding professionalism. Meeting EDIWEISS for the first time, they gave memorable performances of their hits “Get the Bomb” and “EXIT,” as well as many others. Using the festival as their U.S. debut, the group opened the festival on both days and participated in the meet and greet with attendees.
Fans are demanding a world tour after iKON’s iconic performance at KAMP LA, and understandably so. Stepping out on stage like the proper hip-hop group they are, iKON performed hit after hit, including “RHYTHM TA,” “Love Scenario,” and “Bling Bling.” The members jumped down from the stage and performed from the barricade, giving some fans a genuinely once-in-a-lifetime experience. The group greeted iKONICS in the U.S. for the first time in many years, and you could tell they were so happy to be there.
From Tablo opening and roasting the event organizers to quickly making it feel more like an EPIK HIGH concert than a festival, EPIK HIGH was the weekend’s highlight. True to their usual antics, the group showered fans with water, tossed a signed t-shirt into the crowd, and performed hits from their library, such as “Born Hater,” “No Thanxxx,” and “Don’t Hate Me.” By the end of their set, there wasn’t an attendee in The Rose Bowl who wasn’t a fan of EPIK HIGH.
With that, an unforgettable weekend has come to an end. Despite everything, fans still showed up to support the artists performing at KAMP. For some fans, the realization that they might never see these artists again was the reason behind their attendance. For others, it was the overwhelming need to ensure that the venue wasn’t bare when the performers stepped out on stage. Whatever the reason, thank you.
We hope to see many of these groups back in the U.S. on their own tours or at KCON.
This event was covered by Rachael Lovette
Image Credits: Rachael Lovette
Video Credits: K-What Official
