Concert Review: ATEEZ Doesn't Back Down to a Thunderstorm, Giving NYC an Unforgettable Show

K-pop superstars and unmatched performers ATEEZ weren't letting a little (or a lot of) rain stop them from putting on the show of a lifetime for ATINY at Citi Field in Queens, NY this past weekend. Cementing themselves in K-pop history as the second-ever group in the genre to perform at the iconic venue, ATEEZ refused to back down even after a thunderstorm delayed their performance by two hours.

Fans entering Citi Field on Saturday night were faced with unrelenting rain, coupled with thunder and lightning, leaving the fate of the concert of their beloved ATEEZ in limbo. Consistent announcements from the venue stated that the show was delayed indefinitely, and fans waited in hoards throughout the concourse, unable to take their seats due to safety concerns caused by the weather. 

However, at around 9:00pm, an hour and a half after the show was originally set to begin, an announcement was made stating that the show will begin shortly, and all fans should proceed to their seats. We all made our way inside, with the rain showing no sign of stopping. Some fans wore ponchos or clutched umbrellas, while many just embraced the situation head-on. Staff worked tirelessly to clear the stage of puddles, and made sure the equipment was working properly, to prepare for the artist to safely take the stage.

Then, by some miracle, the rain stopped. And there were ATEEZ, ready to give this late night show their all.

According to reports online, the group paid the noise ordinance to allow them to still perform almost their entire set, save for a few songs cut, and cut short, during the encore. But if you didn't know they were supposed to be there, you never would know it was anything short of a full-blown ATEEZ spectacular. The group even kept in the cinematic  lore-filled scenes in between several songs, which made the entire show feel like a cohesive stage production, rather than simply a concert. As someone who is clearly a big fan of Broadway, I loved that aspect.

ATEEZ are incredible performers, from the start of the show until the very last note. You would never know the show was running two hours late. The group's eight members still brought their full energy to the stage, as did their fans, who jumped, sang, screamed, and waved their lightsticks tirelessly.

The only times the members left the stage were during unit performances or during the aforementioned cinematic bits which often featured one or a few members at a time. Otherwise, it was a nonstop marathon through the setlist that featured favorites like "Bouncy", "Crazy Form", "Guerilla", "Say My Name", "Work", and many more.

I have seen ATEEZ live twice before, once on their tour in 2022, and again at KCON LA in 2023, and they just keep getting better. Seeing them fill a stadium was an experience I would have considered unforgettable even without the weather drama. But the way they handled the situation with professionalism and still brought their A-game garnered even more respect for them as artists, from me. I am definitely a fan of this group and am looking forward to seeing them continue to grow and make waves in this industry.