On September 16, 2024, wave to earth kicked off their world tour — the '0.03 World Tour' — in Vancouver, BC. This tour follows the release of their newest album, play with earth! 0.03. This marks this Korean indie rock band’s second tour in Canada, the first being only last year. The trio — Daniel Kim (vocals, guitar), John Cha (bass), and Dongkyu (drums) — treated fans to a vibrant setlist, blending new tracks with fan favorites such as “peach eyes,” “bad,” and “seasons.” Impressively, although their newest album was only released earlier this month, fans were able to scream along to every single lyric excitedly. The core trio was joined by session musicians Jeon-min and Jong-geun on saxophone and keyboard respectively. Their chemistry paired with the band was evident, which elevated the live performance to something unforgettable. In Gen-Z terms, the live band hit different.
The atmosphere at the venue was one of youthful enthusiasm and calm admiration, with fans proudly displaying homemade posters, digital signs, and even photos from previous meet-and-greets. Each interaction between the band and the audience sent waves of joy through the crowd, with many fans eagerly taking videos in the hopes of getting a good look at their favourite artists.
One standout moment was when they performed “annie," a song from their new album, for the first time live. With the audience often able to recognize the song after only the first few notes throughout the show, their immediate realization of this song being played was one of both surprise and excitement. This energy only heightened when someone from the crowd screamed, "Daniel, are you single?" to which the lead singer replied, “that's a secret," eliciting laughter throughout the venue. This light-hearted interaction is a good representation of the close-knit, playful relationship between Wave to Earth and their fans that was displayed throughout the show.
While the performance was flawless, the lighting throughout the show could have been improved. The back lighting throughout wave to earth’s set was often too bright and at times overwhelming, with fans sharing online about the feeling of getting “flashbanged” during the show. While the energy and music was beautiful, more balanced lighting would have allowed fans to fully enjoy the performance more easily. With some minor tweaks to the lighting design, the overall concert experience could become even more immersive.
Korean indie-rock duo PRYVT, which includes Korean-Canadian singer-songwriter hanuel and bassist Justin Tecson, opened the show. Their setlist included their songs such as "Mona Lisa," "Blue Sativa," and "If It's Not You”. Tecson reflected on the tour, saying, "Going on the road with wave to earth feels unreal." We've looked up to them since the beginning, and now sharing the stage with them is a full circle moment." Their flawless performance in Vancouver strengthened PRYVT's rising status in the international indie scene.
wave to earth set a high bar for the rest of their world tour with an incredible opening night, blending skilled performance with memorable energy from fans. With a slight tweak to the lighting of the show, future shows could deliver an even more comfortable and immersive experience for their audience.
PRYVT
wave to earth