Over five years since their debut, GOT7 has proven successful on a global scale with their music, performances and overall charm.
Having recently released their ninth EP ‘Spinning Top’, you can hear how GOT7’s sound has developed and matured throughout the years since their debut. The seven members, Mark, Jaebeom, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam and Yugyeom, have worked hard for over 5 years and as such, have clearly become well rounded, charismatic and confident performers. Earlier this year, GOT7 begun their ‘Keep Spinning’ world tour which includes stops in America, Europe and Australia.
On Thursday night, GOT7 brought their concert to Sydney with a powerful and playful performance at Qudos Bank Arena. The show opened with a video featuring the members, introducing the concept which tied their entire show together. This concept was later explained by Mark, as being about when the members experienced dark and difficult times, through the help of fans they could find the light. This concept influenced the setlist, outfit choices and vibe of the show. Opening their first Sydney concert with their recent hit single, Eclipse, the boys started the night with a bang, setting the bar high for the rest of the show.
GOT7 performed a mix of old and new songs including remixes of Stop Stop it, A and Just Right, three older fan favourites. As noted by the members, they wanted to show the world something new, and using remixes was a great way of pleasing fans whilst showing a new side to the boys. GOT7 also performed high energy, western infused songs such as Teenager, Look, Page and Hard Carry. Hard Carry was an especially notable number with flashing lights, vibrant red graphics, boosted bass and a powerful performance through vocals, rap and dance. Their concert was aided with their impressive use of the stage and graphics, making the performances feel like they filled out the entire arena.
An aspect of their concert which especially stuck out to me was how well planned and organised the show was. Sometimes during concerts, transitions between different songs can feel choppy, but GOT7 created a setlist which flowed beautifully from song to song. This was best portrayed in their ‘solo’ stages. When one song ended it took you a second to realise they had moved on to the next member(s). Jaebeom and Youngjae showed off their impressive vocal abilities, the three rappers Mark, Jackson and BamBam (the AmeriThaiKong unit – being from America, Thailand and Hong Kong) showing their charisma, and Jinyoung and Yugyeom performing a powerful dance number.
Something made clear throughout the night was the bond between the members. At one point they made leader Jaebeom laugh so hard he stopped singing and spat out water on stage. It was hilarious to watch for both the boys and fans. This continued the whole night with BamBam mocking Yuygeom’s broken English, Youngjae poking member’s faces throughout their serious song Miracle and members pouring water all over each other in the final numbers. This really proved their bond and charisma, it never felt awkward and was fun to watch and experience – you could tell they were all very comfortable on stage.
The night ended with an encore that felt like it would never end, in the best of ways. The boys kept the energy up, right until their last songs, with their encore including Shopping Mall and Go Higher, two very upbeat numbers. The boys were splashing water on the mosh pit, waving at any and every fan and Jackson even came down into the mosh (on the other side of the barrier) multiple times to interact with fans.
Overall the show was a great mix of old and new songs, funny quips, incredible performances and too many fan interactions to count. I was impressed by the boys’ ability to make the night an incredibly enjoyable experience, both through their jokes and powerful songs. You could tell they had captivated their audience and delivered on an unforgettable night. It’s clear that GOT7 will only continue to grow and develop, which guarantees a very bright future for the group.
