There simply couldn’t have been a better way to spend a Friday night…
On September 11, South Korean band wave to earth treated fans to an evening of dreamy vibes under the stars at San Diego’s Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre. With easy-going melodies filling the atmosphere throughout the evening, it felt like a picture-perfect outing to help usher in the Fall.
wave to earth made their debut in 2019, with members Daniel Kim, Dong Q and John Cha releasing a vibrant single titled “wave.” Since then, the group has blended alternative rock sounds with elements of jazz and R&B to create tunes that have captivated fans all around the globe. While many of their songs are capable of making listeners feel as though they are frolicking through a dewy field at dawn, others can make one feel like they’re alone cozying up at home. There’s an intimate nature to wave to earth’s music that makes the listener slow down and feel every lyric and melody, and the group had zero issues delivering that same sensation to their live audiences.
For the pieces tour, wave to earth’s stage setup featured a set that looked like a living room inside of a house, complete with warm ambient lighting, wooden walls, bookshelves, and even furniture such as a couch! One of the most charming aspects of the stage design were the windows for the room, which featured LED panels displaying looping videos taken at Balboa Park’s El Prado. People could be seen walking by the small fountain located near the San Diego Museum of Art, cars driving around the El Cid statue, and at some points, even a blue Waymo robotaxi could be seen in the clips. The scenery displayed on the panels varies per city, which helps create an even deeper connection with the audience.
In addition, there was a screen above the living room set, and a camera man walking around the stage following the members around during the show. Audience members who could see the screen could feel as though they were walking around the room, approaching each band member as they performed.
While the crowd’s energy felt rather laid-back throughout most of the show, there were unforgettable moments of screaming and chanting, such as when wave to earth performed “annie.” and “bad.” Phone flashlights illuminated the amphitheater during “closing,” and for a few moments, the lights in the room went dark. During “love.,” the crowd not only waved their phone flashlights around in the air, but one could even spot onlookers outside the amphitheater following along! It was the perfect way to send off wave to earth’s first outdoor show in San Diego.
Check out photos from the evening below
