There’s a strong case to be made that if K-pop demons did ever infiltrate the earth with the express purpose of creating an army of sleeper cell souls, the phrase “BLACKPINK in your area!” could be the slogan that activates them. A good catchphrase isn’t unique when it comes to K-pop (plenty of groups have their own version of one that fans can chant in unison), but BLACKPINK were really cooking with this one when they dropped it in their debut single, “BOOMBAYAH,” in 2016. Since then, they’ve peppered it through their discography, and when the time came to scream it in a stadium of 70,000 fans, it felt like the concert had lit off all its pyrotechnics in one go, by way of serotonin receptors.

There is something of a flatness to the show’s beginning, purely because the group is working with songs they’ve been performing for more than five years at this point. But that dissipates when it comes to the members’ solo stages, which are dropped in pairs in either half of the show.

Each member performed songs from their most recent solo albums: JISOO sings “earthquake” and “Your Love” from her album AMORTAGE; LISA performs “Lifestyle,” “Thunder” and “Rockstar” from Alter Ego; JENNIE performs “Handlebars,” “with the IE (way up)” and “like JENNIE” from Ruby, and Rosé sings “dance all night”, “toxic till the end” and “APT” from rosie.

There’s a fire lit under them in these moments, as the BLACKPINK brand gives way to something more tailored. The great thing about K-pop is that its ecosystem allows artists to exist in a group and as solo artists simultaneously, and there’s something thrilling about seeing a new hunger come from performers who, at this point, are veterans on the stage. 

If a concert happens in 2025 without a random celebrity cameo, did it even really happen? In a landscape of Charli XCX’s “Apple” dances, Role Model’s Sallys and Sabrina Carpenter’s arrestees, it feels like every artist at the moment is trying to craft a viral moment — and boast at the coolness of their phone’s contact list.

For BLACKPINK, and specifically Rosé, this celeb cameo moment came in the shape of FKA Twigs. In a very Sweat Tour-esque opening to her solo stage, Rosé stalked the bowels of Wembley Stadium as she headed to the stage. Halfway through, she was joined by FKA Twigs as the pair jumped on a railcar, necking shots and eating scones as they’re transported from one side of the room to the other. Twigs then waved Rosé off as she emerged on the B-stage. It was kitschy and silly and fulfilled its purpose — because you really do leave thinking, ‘Wow, that is a cool contact in her phone.’

Lightsticks are an integral part of live K-pop culture, and are as much a show of fandom appreciation as they are an experience in themselves. Stadiums can often feel expansive and vast, and you can find yourself clutching for any moment that makes you feel like you’re a part of something happening in the room. A lightstick ocean (the term used to describe the sea of lights you see peppered through the crowd) is something that makes you feel connected to everyone in the space, and the bigger the crowd, the bigger the visual impact. For BLACKPINK, their lightsticks (which are shaped like kids’ squeaky hammers) glow pink, and there’s something about that particular hue of warm-toned light that, when flooding a stadium, takes your breath away.

A stadium show lives and dies by its sound quality, and BLACKPINK definitely got the memo. They’ve been incorporating a live band into their concerts for years, but it is never more needed than when you’re trying to reach those in the nosebleeds. The members took a moment to introduce their band and give them individual solo flourishes. It was a sweet moment that showed that beneath the pyro and bombastic productions, there’s something grounded and human, too.

The quartet released the Diplo-produced “Jump” at the start of their U.S. dates in July. As the only new group song added to a familiar setlist, its inclusion gives a welcome boost of excitement. Clearly, the group knows that too, so they perform it twice — first with a full production setup, and then again in a more pared-down fashion when they return for their encore. The first time “Jump” hit, it was just as the sun finally set on Wembley, and the sea of pink lightsticks was at peak radiance. The Europop banger was divisive upon release, but true BLACKPINK connoisseurs out there know not to judge their more bombastic tracks until you see them live — twice in short succession, in this case.

When the girls wrapped up their solo stages it signalled the show’s conclusion — but that didn’t mean the energy had to dip. They went back-to-back with non-stop bangers in the concert’s final moments: “Jump,” “BOOMBAYAH,” “DDU-DU-DDU-DU,” “As If It’s Your Last,” “Forever Young.” It’s a run that reminds you just why and how BLACKPINK became the biggest girl group in the world, and suggests that dusting off the same setlist year after year — with a few tweaks — isn’t such a bad idea after all.