On Friday, August 25, Korean indie-rock band wave to earth brought warmth and comfort to their sold-out show at the Belasco. In May, the news of the Seoul-based band’s headline North America tour sent ripples of excitement online and prompted fans to sell out the initial tour stops. The tour promoter, KOHAI, responded quickly by upgrading venues and adding more tour dates to meet the intense demand.
Lines wrapped around Belasco’s city block as fans (both old and new) eagerly anticipated their entry into the sold-out show. Some longtime fans shared that they discovered the band’s music while surfing through YouTube and Spotify and stumbling upon their songs on chill/R&B/indie playlists. Avid K-Pop fans were also introduced to wave to earth’s music after artists like LE SSERAFIM’s Yunjin shared the band’s music on their platforms. Others discovered the band through TikTok, where several songs were positively received and used as sounds. No matter when or how a person got into the band, everyone showed up and showed out to be part of wave to earth’s first-ever performance in L.A.
Because Belasco is a GA standing venue, attendees had to decide between securing a decent spot in front of the stage or snagging the highly sought-after official tour merch. Those who chose the former stood planted in their spots, occasionally asking for water from the security or fanning themselves from the radiating body heat and the lack of A/C in the venue. By show time, every space on the GA floor and the balcony was packed with attendees amped for a night to remember.
Singer-songwriter slchld did not need to say much as he stepped on stage and opened the show. Born in Korea and raised in Canada, the singer let his soulful yet silky vocals set the mood as he poured his heart out in bittersweet tracks such as “bayou.” Many couples in attendance swayed along to the fan-favorite “she likes spring, I prefer winter,” a moving track about an enduring love overcoming challenges in a relationship. Along with his hit discography, slchld treated the audience with unreleased tracks — a somber number called “Monster” followed by the closing pop track, “Dancing Shoes.” All within the same vein of love and encouragement, slchld’s music was the perfect setup for the night’s headliner.
In contrast to the band’s chill sound and demeanor, the LA crowd erupted in feral screams and roars as wave to earth took their place on stage. The band kicked off their set with “Bad,” their 2019 debut single “wave,” and the synth-pop “evening glow.” With their motto being “All Self-made,” Daniel Kim (singer, songwriter, guitarist), John Cha (bassist), and Don Q (drummer) are directly involved in the recording, mixing, and mastering of their music as well as the art direction of their album artwork, music videos, and even their fashion. Together, the three-piece band from Seoul crafts comforting indie pop with low-fi sounds laced with love and words of encouragement with hints of nostalgia.
With most of their songs sung in English, the band quickly realized the true impact of their music on the L.A. audience. From the feel-good “peach eyes” and the jazzy number “nouvelle vague” to their rock breakdown in “daisy.,” wave to earth had the crowd wrapped around their fingers. Even Daniel’s subtle gesture to the concert-goers as he sang “be my daisy,” triggered even more screams from concertgoers.
In between songs, John seized the moment to teach everyone Korean slang. He whipped out a piece of paper and instructed, “If I say, ‘LA 자신있나?’ [LA, are you confident?] You guys say, ‘자신있다!’ [I’m confident!] Okay?!” The members then beamed with pride as the audience shouted the phrase with all their might. The energy in the room was palpable as Don Q read his short prepared speech to the crowd, but was drowned out by the deafening screams of “I love you” thrown at him.
“calla,” Daniel’s favorite wave to earth song, followed suit. A calla flower is a perennial plant that can survive and bloom from season to season and symbolizes “rebirth.” Daniel’s soaring vocals took center stage as he (and the audience) passionately sang the lyrics, “Calla, someone said that your time will be over soon / But Calla, you can always grow back / If you don’t have enough sunlight / I’ll blow the clouds away, Calla.” Through their song, the band compares listeners to a calla flower, offering words of encouragement so they can overcome adversity and thrive to live as the best versions of themselves.
For the show’s encore, wave to earth gave it their all as Daniel’s falsettos during “homesick” were matched by a mixture of screaming and singing from the crowd. Much to the audience’s surprise, the band had a special surprise for their enthusiastic L.A. audience. “The next song is actually not in the setlist,” John admitted. “It’s a special song for tonight.” As soon as the delicate instrumentals of “Bonfire” reverberated through the concert hall, the room again erupted into screams of shock and joy. A reflective track about the uncertainties of the future, the song resonated with many in the audience. Last but not least, wave to earth closed out their first L.A. concert with their breakout hit, “seasons.” As they bid their final farewell, the fans sang the song along with them from start to finish, “But I’ll pray for you all the time / If I could be by your side / I’ll give you all my life, my seasons / By your side, I’ll be your seasons.”
In just a few hours, wave to earth created a safe space for everyone to connect and vibe in their comforting soundscape. The band will continue, but they can rest assured that they will always have a place here in the City of Angels.
For those who missed out, fans can now tune into the sold-out New York concert on September 9! The livestream will be held on veeps. and livestream tickets are $11.99. More information can be found here.