It’s been two years since Wave to Earth last performed in Toronto—from a sold-out HISTORY performance in 2024 to a sold-out show double the size last week at The Theatre at Great Canadian Toronto. The Korean indie rock band recently brought the pieces tour to Toronto on September 25, marking the midpoint of their North American leg. Their music feels like it’s made for intimate gatherings and quiet nights, filled with hazy guitars, soft vocals, and melodies that linger long after the song ends, but even in a venue of that size, their ability to create a sense of intimacy remained— making the room feel closer than it was. 

The night was abuzz with anticipation as the fans poured into the room, greeted by a stage filled with smoke and soft lighting. The show opened with a single spotlight shining on Jiwoo (@maisonjiwoo), a Korean-Canadian musician and producer who has previously opened for artists such as Colde and Got7’s Jay B. His velvety voice, accompanied by soft instrumentals and the strum of his guitar, entranced the audience with hits such as “Comme des Garçons” and “Greed”, slowly drawing the room into a quieter, more intimate mood. 

As the Wave to Earth members came into view, the crowd broke out into cheers. The stage was transformed into a home studio, with minimalist decor scattered across the walls and floor. Through the LED windows, a view of the CN Tower and Toronto skyline glowed in the distance, which I thought was such a clever design choice that made the set feel so uniquely Toronto. The set opened with songs from their latest album, bad pieces, released earlier this year, filling the venue with soft rock and jazz-infused pieces. “everything comes and goes” (with Jiwoo joining them back on stage), “sing it all again”, and “courage” tell stories of finding peace and beauty within life’s imperfections.

Other fan favourites, “seasons,” “bad,” and “homesick,” had the entire venue singing along, with fans seemingly knowing every word by heart. As I looked around the floor, the audience became a collection of little moments: couples swaying together during “bad,” friends jumping and singing their hearts out to “annie,” and even a mother and her young daughter watching the stage in awe during “love.”

Daniel Kim (frontman and guitarist) formed the band in 2019 alongside his childhood friend, Dong Q (drummer), choosing the name “Wave to Earth” because they wanted to “show music that makes a new wave.” Completing the trio with John Cha (bassist), their jazz-inflected hazy lo-fi sound is created while working alongside saxophonist Jeon Min and pianist Jo Jung-geun, both of which are accompanying them on this tour. The band gained international recognition in 2020 with the release of their breakout track, “seasons”, and have developed a strong global cult following ever since.

The band’s musicianship was perhaps most evident during the instrumental solos woven between songs, the intensity of it almost overwhelming at times! The guitar, bass, drums, saxophone, and keys were building with every note, seeming as though the musicians were speaking a language of their own. Every jaw around me was dropped during these moments, and I couldn’t say mine wasn’t either.

Finally, the last song arrived. As the room darkened, the screens turned off, and red lights silhouetting the band, the energy in the room gave way to near silence. Then came the opening guitar melody of their well-loved song, “love.” A wave of cheers rose through the room before falling away again, leaving thousands of fans hanging onto every note. Although we’ve heard it hundreds of times through headphones, hearing it with the live instruments was an entirely different and almost otherworldly experience. Fans felt, and I quote, “as if they’ve ascended” (cited from three separate friends who attended that night).

As always, the night ended with the lights up, a group photo, and a promise to return. Watching the group perform, you can really see who they are; not only three musicians pouring their hearts out onto the stage, but also three friends who have chased the same dream together and are now watching all that love come back to them.

What a beautiful experience it was, and I can’t wait to sing it all again.

Wave to Earth the pieces tour Setlist:

Jiwoo (opener):

1. Comme de Garçons
2. Greed
3. Sky Green

Wave to Earth:

1. sing it all again
2. talking bout u
3. everything comes and goes
4. skylark
5. courage
6. cherry flavoured love inside your heart
7. hyang
8. seasons
9. you
10. bad
11. sunny days
12. annie
13. calla
14. heaven and hell
15. closing
16. bonfire
17. daisy
18. homesick
19. love

Photos by Faye Yang (@fayekore)

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