Oakland Arena (Oakland, CA)
06/14/24
Six-member K-pop group P1Harmony brought their “UTOP1A” tour to the Bay Area, drawing thousands of fans to Oakland Arena and creating a sea of multi-colored lights from concert-goers waving the group’s lightstick. The group, composed of Keeho, Theo, Jiung, Intak, Soul, and Jongseob, debuted in 2020, and since then have gone on three tours – each time stopping in the Bay Area and upsizing their venue. The tour follows their debut full-length album, Killin’ It, released earlier this year in February. After six E.P.s and an album, P1Harmony had a packed setlist with 28 songs performed over the course of their nearly 3-hour show.
As the intro video playing on the large screens at the back ended and faded to black, the anticipation in the crowd hit a high. Rising from below the stage with smoke and fire (read as: fog machines and fire visuals on the screens) as the crowd’s scream crescendoed, the six members finally appeared on the stage. They launched into “Street Star,” kicking the arena into high gear with powerful vocals, rapping, and dancing, and then “Emergency” and “Everybody Clap,” all three tracks from Killin’ It. Each member brought a unique flavor to the stage, from Keeho’s commanding vocals to Soul’s smooth dancing, creating a magnetic energy that filled the arena. Everyone was also delighted that all six members were on stage again, as Jiung had been in South Korea, recovering from an injury, unable to perform up until their appearance at a festival the week before and this Oakland show.
Throughout the night, P1Harmony took time to speak to their fans in between sections of their set. They expressed how good it felt to be six on stage again, being able to feel the energy of all six members again and having full confidence in their performance again. They also talked about how much they loved the Bay Area, reminiscing on how it had been where they performed in the U.S. for the first time, how they were at the much smaller Paramount theater last year, and how much more people there were in the room this time. For a nice personal touch, they asked for a couple birthdays in the crowd, singing a short section of “Secret Sauce” and “New Classic” acapella to wish them a happy birthday. Time and time again, they expressed their gratitude for their fans for supporting them and allowing them to perform.
For one section of the show, each member had a solo stage to showcase them as individuals. First up was Theo, performing a cover of Stephen Sanchez’s “Until I Found You” singing and playing guitar on the smaller stage at the end of the catwalk. Then Intak came out to sing and dance to Victoria Monét’s “On My Mama,” Jongseob rapped to Kendrick Lamar’s “Praise the Lord (Da Shine)” and Soul did a freestyle dance. Keeho then came out in an Oakland A’s jersey to perform a cover of SZA’s “Kill Bill,” and finally Jiung performed Justin Bieber’s “Baby,” explaining afterwards that he wanted to choose a song that everyone could sing and dance to. They continued on the show with songs like “BFF (Best Friends Forever),” after which Keeho declared that everyone in the crowd was their besties now, “JUMP,” where they had everyone jumping with them, and fan favorite “Doom Du Doom.”
The night ended with a 5-song encore, first re-entering the arena from the back for the floor, walking through the aisles of fans while singing “I See U” from Killin’ It, before reaching the stage again. Before the final song, the group promised they would be back in Oakland, which was met with loud cheers. P1Harmony closed out their set with as much energy as it began, with “AYAYA.” With their infectious energy and unwavering dedication, P1Harmony delivered an unforgettable show and a lasting impression, leaving their fans excited for when they return.
