Last week female Kpop group StayC took the stage at the beautiful Paramount theater. I’ve seen several Kpop shows at this venue and I never know what to expect. It’s definitely a place fit for this type of concert, but it has always felt a little awkward to be at a show where everyone will most definitely be standing and dancing and waving lightsticks at an older velvet-seated venue. When American musicians perform there, they remove the first floor seating and make it standing room, but Kpop fans go a little wild with that kind of seating maybe? Or the artists want to have a little space between them and the fans so they can feel free to dance and interact from the stage with a comfort bubble. That seems a bit more likely.

Either way, StayC did not hold back. They may not be a household name in the States like some other groups, but their fanbase is well-established and came out in droves last week with more energy than I’ve felt in that venue in a long time. Bibi was incredibly fun and the joy at that show was palpable, but the screams that came from Swith (StayC’s fanbase) for their beloved group was overwhelming. Screeches galore, the woofing that that we’ve all come to expect at a Kpop show was turned up to eleven and everyone danced their butts off.

I was lucky enough to snag a photo pass for this show, which always elevates my experience (and yours since I get to share them with you!). At the beginning of my Kpop photography/press journey (about two years ago) in my reviews I was trying to figure out what made each group stand out, whether they be male or female, new or established. There’s always something that separates each group from others, or at the very least there’s something they do better than anything else. However, it’s not just the group that makes the concert experience, and I think you all know what I mean. It’s the fans that create a feedback loop ramping up the excitement and energy throughout the night. You might wonder how that’s any different than every other American or international music performance, but Kpoppies have a different relationship with music and the artists than any other genre I’ve experienced. It’s not just a love for the music, but the people performing it, the culture they come from, the work they’ve done to get there.

With so many Swith out to see StayC earlier this month, there’s no way you weren’t caught up in the torrent of intoxicating fun that flowed back and forth and swirled around everyone there. Fan favorites were scattered throughout the setlist but when they performed “Bubble” the energy reached a fever pitch and didn’t relent until the last note of Stay WITH me faded out at the end of the encore. It’s obvious their tight choreography, playful banter and unending energy is what draws in their fans and brings them out to a sold out show in Seattle. Keep the amazing groups coming, because Seattle is eating them up!