TRENDZ [GLOW] Tour finally lands in LONDON (Concert Recap & Highlights)

By Mulenga Mumba 

7-member K-Pop group TRENDZ (pronounced TREND-Z) heated up the stage of 229 London  on the 4th of June. Amidst the high-energy of the boys and fans alike, it was a night filled with cheers, laughter and more. I had the amazing opportunity to see what TRENDZ are all about and am excited to share my experience. 

Image: Hallyu Con

Prior to the concert, I was unaware of the nitty gritty that makes up TRENDZ. I had heard a song or two on TikTok but never had the chance to check them out fully so the opportunity to watch them perform was the perfect chance to see what they are all about. Having debuted in 2022 and comprising 7 members (Hankook, Havit, Leon, Yeonwoo, Ra.L, Eunil and Yechan), TRENDZ have been making a name for themselves with an extensive tracklist including 7 EPs. Popping into London for the 4th stop of their [GLOW] TOUR in Europe, you could definitely feel the energy and excitement from the boys, as well as their fans. 

Image: Hallyu Con

On the way to the concert, I listened to a fanmade playlist on Spotify to familiarize myself with their sound and, boy, was I glad I did. Turns out, their sound is my type of vibe. The bass-heavy tracks like ‘Villain’, ‘Chameleon’ and ‘Vagabond’ match well with the more bright tracks like ‘Glow’ and ‘Fantasy.’ I was sitting on the London underground train desperately trying not to get up and dance. As I entered the 229 London venue, I could already feel the excitement of the fans as they met the boys during the VVIP+ event, which included Fan Chat, Hi-Touch and Group Photo. Speaking to some fans (a mixture of new fans and those that have been there since debut), I could feel their enthusiasm and admiration as they waited their turn to meet the boys and take pictures. There was also a merch store inside the venue that sold T-shirts, posters, albums, etc.

Image: Hallyu Con

As the start time of the concert drew closer, the vibe of the room began to heat up with anticipation (you could feel the electricity in the air, it felt like everyone was vibrating). The lights dimmed and the stage lights became brighter, everyone erupted with screams and shouts as if beckoning the members onto the stage. Shortly after, people filed onto the stage and got into formation.  Initially, I was confused as to what was going on but I later found out that a competition had been held via the official TRENDZ instagram for the chance to be the opening act for TRENDZ (they have a winner on each stop of their tour).  The winner for London was SEGNO, a dance crew based in London that covers K-Pop, as well as does choreography and competitions (I’ve seen them perform before and I must say they were a fitting choice for London; talented beyond words). Performing to a mix of songs that included TRENDZ’s own song ‘NEW DAYZ', they were the perfect opener to a high energy night. 

Image: Hallyu Con

After SEGNO’s wonderful opening, the boys officially began their concert with ‘MY WAY’, a fun upbeat track that had the audience jump (it’s only song one and we’re already jumping? I knew the night was going to be intense). Following this, the members took some time to introduce themselves and express their excitement to be in London. One thing I would like to note is that their fan interaction was on point throughout the whole night. They made sure to check on fans from beginning to end, making sure everyone was okay and also hyping the crowd up (the crowd was pretty hype already but the members managed to drive the hype to over 9000). 

Next, the members performed ‘NIGHTMARE’, ‘WHO’ (choreo goes hard; they had Leon in the air as soon as the song started) and ‘CLIQUE’. Throughout this whole set I remember thinking, what have I been doing not listening to these songs till now. They were encapsulating, giving off a dark and heavy grunge vibe. I love a song with some bass and let me tell you, these songs had bass. 

Image: Hallyu Con

Following a brief break, the members expressed how excited they were to finally be in London and that they had prepared an absolute party of a night (they were right, it was a blast of a party but i’ll get to that later). The members expressed how much they wanted to visit around London but sadly they had no time due to a tight schedule. After the brief break, the members went into a section I'm calling the unit stages.  Eunil kicked off this portion of the concert with a rendition of ‘As It Was’ by Harry Styles. They must have really studied the British crowd because the fans went wild singing along. Next was a quartet composed of Havit, Leon, Hankook and Yeonwoo who sang ‘Viva La Vida’ by Coldplay. It was another perfect choice of song, blending their powerful vocals and harmonies with fans singing along in accompaniment. This was then followed up by a series of dance covers including ‘Like Jennie’ by Jennie, ‘Duh!’ by P1Harmony, ‘Walk’ by NCT127, ‘Mona Lisa’ by J-hope and ‘Ice on My Teeth’ by Ateez. I was in absolute awe watching the members dance. The power and control they had were mesmerising (I know K-Pop idols train crazy hard when it comes to dance and it really showed on stage). 

Image: Hallyu Con

After another quick break (the members had to catch their breaths after that wild dance performance), the members performed ‘CHAMELEON’, ‘GLOW’ and ‘VEN CONMIGO’. I absolutely loved how fun CHAMELEON was. From the choreography to the overall vibe of the song, it’s a song I would play in the car while on a drive. The lyrics also encapsulate the feeling of being unique; I added it to my playlist immediately. GLOW and VEN CONMIGO were very much summer vibe songs (very bright and very fun). I like the fact that the songs in this section were uplifting and somewhat motivational in a ‘be yourself’ and ‘chase your dreams’ kind of way.

Image: Hallyu Con

The members took another quick break during which they interacted with fans. The chaos that ensued was hilarious yet endearing. We also found out that Leon created the choreography for CHAMELEON (boy is so talented; he definitely shines bright as the main dancer of the group), which is amazing considering they only debuted in 2022. I look forward to seeing more choreo from him. The members also took the chance to practice some British English phrases they had learnt as well as took some suggestions from fans (my favourite was ‘Cheers mate’; a very versatile phrase) and talked about some famous landmarks they would have liked to see if they had time, including Big Ben, London Bridge and Notting Hill. 

Image: Hallyu Con

Following the break, the members went into the villain section of their setlist (I call it that because the tracks they played plus the vibe of the stage was giving villain). The members performed ‘VILLAIN’, a quick snippet of ‘TNT’ and ‘VAGABOND’. You could tell just how much fun the members were having as they performed on stage and the fans matched their energy very well. After a short break, the members invited fans to join them in doing the #ChameloeonChallenge. It was so much fun to do and it was a great way to slowly start rounding out the night. 

Image: Hallyu Con

The boys went on to perform ‘FANTASY’ before taking a moment to express how happy they felt being in London because of the energy London ‘Friendz’ brought to the concert (London fans are always lit and I'm glad they’re getting the recognition they deserve) and closing off with their final farewells. Yeonwoo went as far as to say he’s decided this is the place he wants to visit again next year. Ra.L went on to add that he was super appreciative of all the support the fans have given them. All the members expressed just how delighted they were to be in London and how much they wanted to meet London Friendz. It was a touching moment for both fans and the members alike. They then performed ‘FOREVER MORE’ as the last song of their set which was really endearing. Following the end of the song, the members said their final goodbyes and left the stage. 

Image: Hallyu Con

All in all, it was a great…ENCORE!!! The night isn’t over for a K-Pop concert without an encore. While waiting for the final set of the night, fans broke out into a chant to which members of the group also joined, adding their own cheers and beatbox accompaniment. As part of their encore set, the members performed ‘DDO DDO’ and ‘NEW DAYZ’. I loved the fact that the members looked like they were genuinely having fun, jumping around and interacting with one another as well as with the fans. They were having so much fun, in fact, that during NEW DAYZ, the members sprayed water into the crowd. It was absolutely hilarious seeing everyone get showered. A great way to cool down after the high-energy concert TRENDZ delivered. The members said their final goodbyes after the set and left the stage one last time. 

Image: Hallyu Con

All in all, it was an amazing concert. TRENDZ did a wonderful job performing on stage and making sure fans were having fun, and FRIENDZ were right there supporting them and making sure that the group knew just how much support they have here in the UK. I would love to say everyone who worked behind the scenes to make this concert happen did a spectacular job. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for TRENDZ and whatever that is, after seeing the love and passion FRIENDZ have, I know they will be supporting TRENDZ through it all.