Stray Kids came back with a show like no other for their Philippine STAYs.

Almost four years after their first concert in the Philippines, South Korean boy group Stray Kids made their way back to the Philippine concert stage and brought their second world tour, MANIAC, to the SM Mall of Asia Arena with back-to-back concerts for their Philippine STAYs.

Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N kicked off the Manila leg of their world tour on March 11 with a three-hour show that saw them perform songs from their recent releases and their greatest hits from their earlier albums.

Before the show even began, Filipino STAYs filled the arena with enthusiasm and fervor as they sang along to the tracks and held up their lightsticks in support of their favorite boy band.

With Stray Kids strikingly charismatic in red, the highly anticipated concert officially began with “MANIAC”, “Venom”, and “Red Lights” from their million-selling albums Oddinary and Noeasy. In addition to the outstanding performances by the boy group, the MANIAC Tour concert featured a one-of-a-kind concert spectacle that included incredible stage designs, unusual props, mesmerizing lights, and a live band.

Leader Bang Chan then took the lead in greeting their Filipino fans after a long time following their first meeting in 2019. “You guys are very, very good at cheering today,” he commented as the crowd goes loud for the boy group. After a group greeting, the members individually said hello and introduced themselves in Filipino.

Following the high-energy start and now clad in a black-and-white ensemble, Stray Kids kept the momentum alive with “Easy” and “ALL IN”. Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N then brought everyone at the MOA Arena back to 2018 with “District 9”, the title track of their debut extended play I Am Not.

With performances of songs from not just their most recent albums but also from earlier ones—songs that epitomized the boys’ remarkable artistry from the time they were rookies—the MANIAC Tour served as a tribute to the members’ artistic development. With their last concert in the Philippines dating back to 2019, the concert was a moment unlike any other, a nostalgic and proud feeling to have witnessed them in their first year since their debut to the million-seller and sold-out acts that they have become today. 

The concert witnessed live stages of “Back Door”, “Charmer”, “Lonely St.”, “Side Effects”, “Thunderous”, “Domino”, “God’s Menu”, “Cheese”, “Yayaya”, and “Rock” before Stray Kids divided themselves into units with Bang Chan, Lee Know, Seungmin, and I.N performing “Waiting for Us”, while Changbin, Hyunjin, and Felix took on the stage with “Muddy Water”. During the interval before the unit stages, the boys had fun with STAYs and gifted them with spontaneous freestyle dance (Hyunjin), a cover of Dua Lipa’s “Love Again” (Felix), and Sam Fischer’s “This City” (Lee Know), and an acoustic version of NewJeans’ “OMG” (Seungmin).

“Case 143” got the MOA Arena echoing with love confessions for Stray Kids as STAYs scream “I love you” to the boy group. The boy group then ended the set prior to the encore with a jaw-dropping parade of performances of “Hellavator”, “Top”, and “Victory Song”.

While Stray Kids prepare for the encore stages, STAYs took the spotlight and gamely said yes to the missions prepared by the boys—talented idols and talented fans (of all ages) united! Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N returned for the encore stages of “Fam”, “Miroh”, “Star Lost”, and “Haven”.

“Whenever we do a concert with STAYs, it’s not just us that’s doing the concert, but I feel like we’re doing it together because we sing together, dance together. We share love together,” Bang Chan remarked. Han, who had to sit down during the concert due to health reasons, received loud cheers from the fans, reassuring him of their understanding. Still, despite the limitations, he delivered nothing short of his best with an impressive display of his rap and vocals and a dominating stage presence that radiated throughout the show. In addition, the members made sure Han never felt left out, going their way to come to him.

“I know you guys really hate to hear this word—I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry about that. I know you guys are really worried about my condition issues and healthcare, but guys, to be honest, I really feel okay, I really feel great. Doing this show and your energy make my condition better. I feel great now,” Han said. He also urged the fans not to cry and assured them that he is really okay.

“The last time we came here was very beautiful. I can see why the people are so lovely, very loving, and very cheerful in a way. And seeing that, I feel like you guys really did cheer us up a lot. I felt that a lot today.”

FELIX

MANIAC Tour in Manila was an auditory and visual display, a touching reunion, and teamwork that resulted in a successful event that would be talked about for days, months, and years to come. It was produced with astounding showmanship that demonstrated a concert unlike any other.

The concert ended with an energy that never wavers and a stronger promise to stay because STAYs make Stray Kids stay—and this is home.

---

The STRAY KIDS 2nd World Tour MANIAC was presented by PULP Live World and Happee Hour. Special thanks to PULP Live World and Ms. Happee Sy-Go for the invite to Day 1 of the concert.

The article contains events from Day 1 of Maniac in Manila.