CONFIGURATION STADE DE FRANCE

The Stade de France is the largest stadium in France and the 6th largest stadium in Europe in terms of capacity. It was originally built to host (among other events) the final of the 1998 FIFA World Cup. With a maximum capacity of 100,000 seats depending on the event, in reality, it can accommodate around 70,000 to 80,000 spectators for musical events.

Becoming a must-visit venue for all major international artists (though slightly less so since the beautiful La Défense ARENA was established), the Stade de France is a national pride that hosts significant sports competitions and musical acts throughout the year.

Inside, there were merchandise stands and food concessions, and on Saturday, the stadium was awash in a sea of pink. The classic setup featured a very large and imposing stage with a large "T-shaped" extension that extended into the standing area. However, the seated standing area along the extension had some limitations despite being an interesting configuration.

Two large screens on each side of the stage displayed the concert with excellent image quality and brightness.

Unfortunately, the sound quality was a major drawback, with noticeable sound dispersion. The bass was almost inaudible during the opening act, resulting in a mediocre performance that didn't do justice to some songs. Although it improved somewhat during the second part of the concert, the overall sound experience was not particularly memorable. Sound has been a consistent issue in previous concerts (such as Muse's), and it remained a technical downside of this concert.

As for special effects, they were there but relatively conventional: 4 or 5 confetti showers with various shapes like flowers for Jisoo's "FLOWER," roses, blues, and yellows. There were also fireworks towards the end of the concert and flames during some performances, which were impressive but still followed the typical pattern for a major artist's concert at the Stade de France.

The lighting was decent but somewhat unremarkable. It was expected to have a more immersive pink experience, but thanks to the light sticks, the lackluster lighting was compensated. Apart from the large neon lights on the main stage structure, the rest of the lighting was relatively subdued.

The Coachella set design was impressive, but once the focus was on the group, it was easy to forget about it. There were no screens behind the girls, and simplicity seemed to be the most appropriate description for the stage setup.

Note: Media photography was not permitted, and as a result, no official photos of the performances were taken. The article includes a few pictures taken from a distance until the official photos from YG are received.

BLACKPINK : PERFORMANCE

We could have taken our "report" from Hyde Park and copied and pasted it with a few additions because the concert was similar in every way. Instead, let's focus on the differences between these two concerts!

Just one month after Coachella and 15 days after Hyde Park, here come the BLACKPINK girls again, breaking records, and this time, it's a stadium in Europe, especially in France! What does this "ENCORE" have in store for us? New outfits? New setlist? Unreleased songs? Solo stages or cover songs? Perhaps some special guests? Fans have imagined it all, searching for every detail, hoping for exclusivity or something unique and tailored for France. French BLINKS have let their imaginations run wild, making the event their own, although for the organizers and YG, it's just another event (as evidenced by the lack of promotion on the group's official account).

But it seems they misunderstood how a tour works; there were no exclusivities, surprises, or exclusive songs. This "ENCORE" is just another concert on the long list of the girls' tour, which started a year ago and is now reaching its conclusion. Unfortunately for fans and fortunately for the production of this massive world tour, things aren't changed to cater to the local audience.

So, the setlist from Hyde Park (with three additional songs), the dancers from Coachella, and the stage setup from Coachella are what we can expect.

The stadium was adorned in pretty pink as BLINKS, armed with their lightsticks and colorful shirts, dressed up for the occasion. For many, it was their first concert, while for others, it was yet another chance to see their favorite group and "bias." Some fans traveled from afar, not just from France or Europe, but also from places like Thailand or Korea! BLACKPINK solidifies their status as an international group, regardless of what non-fans might think. Booking and filling a stadium (whether at 99% or sold-out) clearly indicates their immense popularity. No matter if BLACKPINK is considered a "niche" group in a music genre not fully understood by the mainstream press (similar to other now-established phenomena like video games or manga), let's enjoy the spectacle and look beyond the critiques.

The concert, originally scheduled for 9 pm, finally started around 9:35 pm (or even 9:40 pm), causing a significant delay from the planned timing. Clips were shown to entertain the audience while waiting. The crowd was getting ready, already screaming, and the lightsticks were poised to follow the instructions of the fanbase-provided banners. At 9:40 pm, they took the stage with "PINK VENOM." No surprises, it's K-pop, and the team knew it by heart. The girls were synchronized, focused, and delivered a flawless performance. Accompanied by their live orchestra, which added a real "live" touch, the backing track still supported the group during certain sung passages. Overall, it was pretty good, and the anticipation grew for Lisa and Jennie's live raps and Jisoo and Rosé's vocal notes.

The setlist will not be described in detail as it's exactly the same as Hyde Park, including the VCR introducing solo performances and the staging setup (like Rosé appearing on a rising platform for "On the Ground/Gone"). The dances were also the same as those from Hyde Park, performed by the crew. In short, it was a copy-paste, which might be redundant for readers who have already read our BST article!

Now, let's talk about Rosé, Jisoo, Jennie, and Lisa. As mentioned earlier, they were professional, with occasional touches of emotion felt during their rare and brief breaks when they could interact with the audience between very energetic performances.

To prepare for the pink wave, the girls asked the audience to hide their lightsticks under their arms and then raise them all at once, transforming the stadium into a beautiful sea of pink! "Guys, are you ready? Guys are you ready ?" "c'est aussi joli que la Tour Eiffel ! c'est rose ! très bien Paris ! Très bien!" The girls made a great effort to speak in French, a language known to be challenging. Jennie also mentioned earlier that she loved Paris; her friends and family were there, and she was emotional and happy to be here! "Merci beaucoup." Rosé was amazed by the energetic crowd in Paris! As for Lisa, whose popularity is extraordinary, a smile from her was enough to set the crowd on fire. The young audience often screamed her name, waiting for any sign or smile from her, and she certainly delivered, being generous with her smiles. Jisoo, on the other hand, was more reserved, but she sweetly told the audience "Je t'aime" (I love you), melting the hearts of her fans.

The "Encore" was different; to extend the concert to its promised two-hour performance, it was remodeled. "DDU-DU DDU-DU" and "Forever Young" were added to the main setlist, while "STAY," "Yeah Yeah Yeah," and "As If It's Your Last" became the three songs for the Encore. Interestingly, "As If It's Your Last" is an iconic song, but it's somewhat ironic to finish with it at this time, considering the current uncertainty about the group's future. In any case, during the Encore, the girls, wearing the black and pink tour t-shirts, were all smiles and thanked their team (band and crew) before ending with "Je t'aime Paris" and a heartfelt Korean thank-you, each taking their turn. 감사합니다 (Thank you)!

Surprisingly, "Kill This Love," one of the group's biggest hits, was not performed, and instead, some B-sides like "Tally" were included.