Exclusive AAA review: K-Pop superstars ARTMS launch European leg of Grand Club Icarus Tour with high‑energy London show
K-pop unit ARTMS dazzled the London crowd as the Grand Club Icarus World Tour came to town.
ARTMS kicked off 2026 in style as they brought the European leg of their Grand Club Icarus World Tour to a packed O2 Forum Kentish Town on a rainy Tuesday night (13.01.26), proving that not even the weather could dampen the excitement of their devoted OURII.
The group - Kim Lip, Choerry, JinSoul, HaSeul and HeeJin, all former members of LOONA - opened the night with a fierce performance of Goddess. Backed by four dancers, their razor‑sharp choreography set the tone for a show built on power, precision and pure adrenaline.
Fans arrived armed with colourful light sticks and even faux wings inspired by the Club Icarus EP artwork, turning the venue into a glowing, fluttering sea of energy. It was the perfect backdrop for a night celebrating the group’s new era.
“We’re very delighted to do our first show of the year in London,” HaSeul told the crowd, while Kim Lip thanked fans for braving the weather with a warm, “Don’t catch a cold, guys.”
Speaking to ContactMusic backstage, JinSoul shared her excitement about opening 2026 in the UK. She said: “We are continuing our ‘Grand Club Icarus’ tour, but I have a hunch the UK show is going to feel completely different!”
She also teased the group’s evolving sound: “Since this album’s concept is ‘a club,’ we explored EDM and club mixes. I believe ARTMS’s musical spectrum has widened with Club Icarus.”
The setlist delivered fan favourites, including Unf/Air, BURN and Birth, each one sending the crowd into full‑volume mode. The members also took turns commanding the stage solo: Choerry lit things up with Pressure, HeeJin brought the heat with Video Game, and JinSoul powered through Ring of Chaos. HaSeul slowed things down with a stunning, dancer‑free rendition of ODD EYE CIRCLE’s Je Ne Sais Quoi, before Kim Lip wrapped the segment with Can You Entertain?.
One of the night’s biggest moments came with Icarus, a standout from the new EP. As the group belted out “Reborn like a phoenix wing,” the audience matched them word for word, fully embracing the new chapter ARTMS are stepping into.
The show closed on a high note with Virtual Angel, a long‑awaited highlight that kept the magical atmosphere alive right to the final beat.
ARTMS continue their European run this month with stops in Paris, Cologne, Munich, Helsinki and Warsaw, following a whirlwind stretch of North and South American dates at the end of last year.
