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Chicago Tribune
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
As Wrigley's first K-pop band, Stray Kids leaves its mark on Chicago and concludes ‘dominATE' tour
Despite the sun having set and a cool breeze drifting through the stands, the tens of thousands of Stray Kids fans in Wrigley Field were just as energetic as they'd been when the band burst onstage two hours before. 'No regrets, I love this feeling / Down on this road call it the social path,' they belted along with the eight-member Korean boy band to 'Social Path,' the title track from the group's third Japanese-language extended play. Green streamers and flares burst from the stage. The crowd roared, frantically waving around their lightsticks — Bluetooth synchronized electric wands that cast the Friendly Confines in a neon green glow. Thursday evening marked Stray Kids' Wrigley Field debut, as well as the stadium's first time hosting a K-pop group in its history. Fans from across the Midwest gathered in Chicago for the group's 12th and final U.S. show in its 2024-25 'dominATE' world tour. The group last performed in Chicago during Lollapalooza in 2024. In front of a sold-out Wrigley Field audience, Stray Kids performed nearly 30 songs, ranging from hyperactive rock bops to nostalgic ballads. The band's musical range and crowd work exceeded expectations, many fans said. Wearing a 'K-pop dad' shirt, Ryan Linke said the band's 'energy and just how they interacted with everybody' really stood out. The 37-year-old manufacturing safety manager flew to Chicago from South Dakota to take his daughter Kiylie to her first K-pop concert. 'They actually made you feel like you were a part of them during the concert,' Linke said. Audience members jumped to their feet as the band dove into its first set with songs 'MOUNTAINS' and 'Thunderous.' Through the two unabashed anthems, which focus on self-confidence and brushing off criticism, Stray Kids set a gritty, battle-tested energy for the concert. With music spanning hip hop, rock, R&B and other genres, Stray Kids has cultivated a rebellious, individualistic style in a genre that sometimes receives criticism for being too formulaic. The band's members are heavily involved in writing their own songs. For instance, Stray Kids' producing sub-unit 3RACHA, consisting of band members Bang Chan, Changbin and Han, helped make the tracks on their 2024 EP 'Ate.' Those include the title track 'Chk Chk Boom,' which the band played twice on Thursday with loads of fans singing along. Stray Kids also showcased songs from two-member subunits during the concert, ricocheting from punk-inspired hip-hop in 'Burnin' Tires' to desperate, pounding R&B in 'ESCAPE.' The performance also found creative ways to engage the audience's senses beyond just sound: As Changbin and I.N. scrambled onstage for 'Burnin' Tires,' the smell of burnt rubber permeated the stadium air. Between sets, Stray Kids frequently interacted with the audience, leading call and response snippets from their songs and cracking jokes — member Hyunjin Hwang teased the song 'Domino' with a quip about Chicago pizza. There were wholesome moments, too. Toward the end of the concert, band member Felix also led the stadium in singing happy birthday to his mom, who was in the audience. Bang Chan, the group's leader, announced the concert's official end with a deadpan 'The show's over' a little past 9 p.m. But after a fan dance-cam challenge that spotlighted audience members replicating the band's intricate choreography in 'Chk Chk Boom,' 'LALALALA,' and 'Maniac,' the band burst onstage again — this time in Cubs jerseys — for another hour of encores. The band ended the night with 'Haven,' urging their fans to 'Do whatever you want / Break the mold together.' It's not just the concert proper that sets K-pop performances like Thursday's apart from other genres, fans said. The sense of community made people feel cared for, said Anaiah King, a 17-year-old fan from Cincinnati. 'I love how we're all just a little community to where we all like the same kind of music — to where we can all just come together, not even knowing one another — and just taking care of one another,' said King, voice hoarse after the concert. Hours before the doors opened, more than 200 fans had already gathered at Gallagher Way. Many were decked out in red and black, the 'dominATE' tour's colors. With the temperature in the 90s and little shade, concertgoers socialized, commented on each others' outfits and exchanged freebies — fan-made, artist-themed memorabilia including buttons, bracelets, candy and phone charms. Dakota Wisdom, 26, came to Wrigley Field from St. Louis at 5 a.m. Thursday for a wristband that would get her access to the concert's pit. This was her first K-pop concert, which she attended with her boyfriend Daniel McNiell. Though she doesn't speak Korean, Wisdom said she loves Stray Kids' music all the same. 'It almost makes me enjoy the music more,' Wisdom said, waving around a blue handheld fan. 'I don't tune in too much to the lyrics while listening to it — just enjoying it as it is.' Thursday was also McNiell's first K-pop concert. He said he got into Stray Kids because of his girlfriend, but has come to enjoy the music on his own. At one point, McNiell stopped in front of a Power Breezer misting fan to cool off. He said to beat the heat, he'd been drinking Liquid I.V. and lots of water. During Stray Kids' Tuesday concert at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., six people were hospitalized because of heat-related issues. When doors opened at 5 p.m., several blocks surrounding Wrigley Field had been closed off, with throngs of concertgoers trying to squeeze through gates. Erin and Sydney Wiegand — who wrapped themselves in American flags with band members Bang Chan's and Lee Know's faces printed on them — attended their second Stray Kids concert this month on Thursday. The mother-daughter duo from the Cleveland area previously caught the group at its June 10 concert in Atlanta. 'It's just awesome seeing them live and seeing how they can perform this good right in front of you anywhere,' Sydney Wiegand said. For 33-year-old Peter Hong of Wicker Park, K-pop in the U.S. has come a long way since he grew up in the Chicago suburbs. 'It's huge and mainstream — I really enjoy it,' Hong said. 'I appreciate that people are also very accepting of it.' The sheer scale of the audience surprised 17-year-old Emma Lee from Bartlett, who'd come to the concert with her mom and two aunts. 'Wow — there's a lot of people here today,' Lee said while standing under an awning across Addison Street from Wrigley Field. 'That's kind of surprising because it's so hot out. To see Stray Kids, it makes sense.' And even after the concert, many fans were still riding high from the band's and crowd's energy during the show. 'I'm also very happy right now,' Kielee Linke said. 'Because it's been my dream to see them for a while now.'
Chicago Tribune
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Photos: Stray Kids fans gather ahead of the band's concert at Wrigley Field
Fans gather outside Wrigley Field in Chicago on June 26, 2025, for the Stray Kids concert – the first time a K-pop group has performed at the stadium.
NBC News
a day ago
- Climate
- NBC News
South Carolina youth sports umpire collapses, dies from heat stroke
A 61-year-old youth sports umpire died over the weekend from heat stroke after passing out during a softball tournament in Sumter County, South Carolina. Michael Huggins was officiating a game Saturday at Patriot Park when he collapsed, his sister told NBC affiliate WIS of Columbia. According to Weather Underground, temperatures had climbed as high as 91 degrees on Saturday. Huggins was rushed to the hospital, where he regained consciousness before passing out again, according to the news station. He was later pronounced dead. The Sumter County Coroner's Office confirmed that his cause of death has been preliminarily ruled as heat stroke. On Wednesday, a woman died from heat exhaustion after being outside in extreme temperatures, the Anderson County Office of the Coroner said in a news release. It was the county's first heat-related death of the year. The Midwest and eastern United States have been plagued by a record-breaking and dangerous heat wave that has caused roads to buckle and put a strain on power grids in major cities. Earlier this week, more than 100 people were treated for heat-related illness at two outdoor graduation ceremonies in New Jersey. In Washington, D.C., dozens of people passed out or became sick from heat exhaustion at a Stray Kids concert at Nationals Park, NBC Washington reported. 'People were in the barricade area throwing up over the barricades,' one attendee said. 'We saw security running from scene to scene. Probably like where we were at, 20 people that had to call for medics.' According to NBC Washington, Stray Kids, a K-pop band, paused their concert twice so fans could get medical attention and shared their own water bottles with fans.
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
D4vd And Stray Kids' Hyunjin Duet On New, Dreamy 'Always Love' Single
d4vd attends the Amiri Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 show as part of Paris Fashion Week; Hyunjin of ... More Stray Kids performs at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards. When d4vd and Hyunjin of Stray Kids first began trading praise in interviews, few could have predicted the virtual admiration would bloom into one of the most heartfelt and cohesive crossover collaborations of the year. Yet today, June 27, the internet bromance becomes a reality on record with the release of 'Always Love,' a swirling duet blending of melancholy pop and R&B production that manages to feels like the perfect union of the two respective musical viewpoints. From the dreamy opening offering psychedelic guitars with simple percussion, d4vd's signature atmospheric soundscape sets a sonic stage that allows his and Hyunjin's soothing, feather-light vocals to float effortlessly on top. The track's lyrical journey unfolds through a progression of intimate questions — beginning with 'Do you…' before moving to 'Would you…' and, ultimately, 'Are you…' — before resolving to the tender resolution: 'I don't need no one else but you.' It's the kind of track that feels both universal while remaining deeply personal. Just weeks before the 'Always Love' release, d4vd met up with Stray Kids backstage at their June 3 concert at SoFi Stadium to snap a photo with the group and a separate selfie with Hyunjin. That image served as the official photo teaser for 'Always Love,' leaving global fans buzzing ever Hyunjin has previously dipped his toes into a solo feature with Troye Sivan's 'Rush' remix alongside PinkPantheress, 'Always Love' marks the first time the K-pop superstar commands a larger section of a song outside of his and Stray Kids' releases, showcasing his ability to shine solo a song on his own and likely paving the way for further solo ventures. 'This was a true full circle moment,' d4vd said in a press statement. 'Hyunjin mentioned me in an interview last year then I mentioned him on the radio when I was in Korea and it just kind of kept spiraling until ultimately we got to work together. He's so talented and I'm really excited with how the song turned out. I'd like to especially thank the Stray Kids fans for being so supportive and accepting of this collaboration.' d4vd co-wrote 'Always Love' the track with producers Andrew Luce and LeeLee. Luce's credits include Lil Nas X's 'Sun Goes Down,' Tomorrow X Together and iann dior's 'Valley of Lies,' and Hannah Bahng's 'perfect blues,' while LeeLee has shaped tracks like Jackson Wang's 'Blow,' keshi's 'Euphoria' and Vedo's 'I Blame You.' The combined expertise and long-running creative relationship with d4vd helps polish the cut into a lush, genre-blurring cut that feels both indie-idiosyncratic and ready to soundtrack a few thousand aesthetic TikTok posts. With 'Always Love,' 20-year-old d4vd not only broadens his artistic palette but cements Hyunjin's growing reputation as a cross-border collaborator capable of holding his own in any musical setting. While summer playlists tend to boast upbeat and bright party songs, this collab can be a lingering late-night anthem to soundtrack everything from friends watching the sunset from a rooftop to lovers lying on the beach awaiting the sunrise. Looking Ahead for dv4d and Hyunjin: WITHERED Deluxe, More Touring 'Always Love' arrives after the April release of d4vd's debut album, WITHERED, a string of high-profile festival appearances like Coachella and Lollapalooza, as well as a sold-out European tour. d4vd teased a deluxe version of the album dropping soon (which 'Always Love' could make as part be part of the tracklist) and will tour Australia in December with Hannah Bahng (who also happens to be the sister of Stray Kids member Bang Chan). Meanwhile, Hyunjin is in the midst of the North American leg of Stray Kids' 'dominATE' World Tour, which will wrap after eight more shows in Europe throughout July. The group previously announced their plans for two album releases in 2025, meaning a new record shouldn't be far off.
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Hyunjin of Stray Kids collaborates with d4vd
Emotional collaboration blends d4vd's signature sound with Hyunjin's soft vocals Hyunjin of Stray Kids has teamed up with American singer-songwriter d4vd for a new single. The new track 'Always Love (featuring Hyunjin of Stray Kids),' was officially released at midnight on Friday. Even before the collaboration was confirmed, the two artists had been exchanging support via social media, heightening fans' anticipation for a potential team-up. "Always Love" is a heartfelt track that captures the emotions of affirming love for someone special. d4vd's signature dreamy soundscapes are layered with Hyunjin's gentle, emotive vocals, creating a poignant listening experience. Hyunjin's group Stray Kids continues to solidify its presence as a one of the top global acts. Most recently, the group took home the 'Favorite Music Group' award at the 2025 Kids' Choice Awards held in Los Angeles on Saturday — the second time a K-pop artist has won at the awards ceremony. The group is currently in the midst of a world tour, with stops across North America and Europe. Meanwhile, d4vd has also been expanding his global reach. After releasing his studio album "Withered" in April, he visited Korea in May and appeared on the music show "M Countdown," a rare move for an international artist. He also held a busking performance at Cheonggye Plaza in Seoul, drawing over 2,000 fans and showing his desire to connect with Korean audiences.
