On September 22, South Korean indie rock band wave to earth returned to Chicago for the pieces tour, reigning in the first day of autumn with their signature chill energy. The group consists of frontman and singer-songwriter Daniel Kim, drummer Dong Q, bassist John Cha, as well as touring guitarist and saxophonist Jeon-min and keyboardist Ban Si-on. Fans of the group, known as Plankton, lined the streets of Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood in anticipation of the ambient band’s performance at the historic Aragon Ballroom.
When finally let into the venue, fans gradually filled the open space in front of the elevated stage, which was adorned with cozy, living room-like set pieces including windows, curtains, lamps, and a bookshelf.
Once the clock hit 7PM, wave to earth came onstage to the whoops, cheers, and barks of the audience. After picking up their instruments, they kicked off the night with “talking ‘bout u,” a dreamy track that instantly set the mood. Bathed in low light, they continued with other songs from their latest full-length album bad pieces. The mellow jazz track “everything comes and goes” had Plankton swaying to the smooth saxophone while “sing it all again” and “courage” highlighted Daniel’s ethereal vocals and guitar skills.
After greeting the crowd and expressing their excitement to return to the Windy City, the band continued with “cherry flavoured love inside your heart,” a sentimental track that had Daniel serenading the crowd with smooth falsettos. The band slowed it down with “hyang,” which had Plankton lifting their phone flashlights in the air and waving their arms to the mellow beat.
Without missing a beat, the band transitioned into their fan-favorite breakout hit “seasons,” which needed no introduction as concertgoers began crooning along to the lyrics immediately after the opening chords.
“Can you sing with us?” Daniel asked the crowd, before diving into the next fan-favorite “bad.” The beloved track had Plankton swaying along to the serene tune and swinging their arms around each other as they sang the lyrics. The easy-going vibes continued on with “sunny days,” “calla,” and “heaven and hell.”
The band departed from the more mellow run of tracks to perform the upbeat “annie.” Daniel prompted fans to chant along to the catchy lyrics, “Fuck you, I am saying,” and raise their middle fingers to the sky.
In a fitting way to end the night, wave to earth let fans know that their time was up with a performance of “closing.” As the final notes of the melodic track hummed from the band’s instruments, the lights dimmed, and the band members made their way backstage.
Plankton waited in anticipation to see if it was truly the show’s finale, chanting for an encore at the top of their lungs. After what felt like centuries, the group made their way back onto the stage to a roar of thunderous cheers from the crowd.
For their encore, wave to earth surprised fans with the crowd-pleasing tracks “daisy” and “homesick,” much to their delight, before turning heartache into healing with “love.,” one of the band’s biggest hits to date.
Daniel’s vocals for the sweet melody had fans ascending, charming everyone one last time. When the night came to its true end, fans erupted into a cacophony of cheers and applause. The band thanked Chicago for a wonderful night and wished for them to get home safe. With that, Plankton left the venue high on the dreamy vibes wave to earth brought to the Windy City.
The pieces tour will continue in North America and Asia until the end of November. Tickets can be found here, but don’t wait, as many stops have already sold out.