At the final stop of the U.S. leg of his 2024 world tour, ICONIC, Aaron Kwok (郭富城) filled the Pechanga Resort & Casino’s concert hall with fans excited to see one of the Four Heavenly Kings (四大天王). As the quartet’s God of Dance, Kwok put his funky dance moves on full display, along with live vocals and several flashy outfits.
The crowd — primarily middle-aged Chinese fans — trickled in holding alcohol and light up styrofoam sticks, ready to let loose and enjoy some classic hits. Although signage outside the theatre indicated a prompt 8pm start time for the show, it really began about 15 minutes after. Interestingly enough, the show began with a credits reel, thanking everyone involved in the tour, from backup singers to band members, and choreographers to technical crew. While this type of montage is usually reserved for the ending of a show, Kwok’s decision to put it at the beginning felt like he wanted to pay extra attention and care to the people who helped make this show happen, ensuring they got their flowers.
As the lights dimmed, dancers flooded the stage. The beginning notes of the tour’s theme song, “EXIT (郭富城ICONIC 世界巡迴演唱會2024 主題曲),” played through the speakers, and suddenly, a bright spotlight lit up center stage. Dressed in sunglasses, a white button up, a black jacket, and army green pants embellished with various flowers, Kwok made his first appearance of the night. The crowd roared in excitement, only growing louder as the performer launched into synchronized choreography with the dancers. Greeting the crowd in Cantonese, Mandarin, and a little English, Kwok was mindful about addressing all his fans who supported him throughout his career.
As the tour is designed to showcase Kwok’s iconic career thus far, he set out to show off his diverse range of music, frequently jumping genres and taking brief pauses between songs to share small details or stories about some of the tracks. Kwok sang upbeat songs filled up bright lights and choreography such as “Pinocchio Attacking Earth (木偶襲地球)” and “So You Think You Can Dance (舞林正傳),” unique songs like “Nerve (神經),” and also plenty of ballads such as “Qi Ni (砌你)” and “Jing Qi Zhe Zhi Ai Shi Quan Fengxian (敬啟者之愛是全奉獻).” Just like in his talking segments, he made sure to perform a mix of songs in both Cantonese and Mandarin for all attendees to enjoy.
At the show, Kwok lived up to his reputation for his experimental fashion. His first outfit with floral embellishments seemed to symbolize his blooming career in its early days. His next outfit featured a stylistically wrinkled red shirt, underneath a turquoise suit. While less symbolic, this ensemble matched the funky vibes of the songs in that segment. One of the most memorable outfits of the night was one that had Kwok sparkling in sequins from head to toe. As Kwok shined brightly while singing several ballad songs, it was as if the stars and galaxy were inside the venue.
Like a musical, each act brought on a wardrobe change. Next up was a sparkling black suit jacket and a white button up shirt, with a black wig and crown. The crown may be referencing his title as part of the Four Heavenly Kings (四大天王), and the black wig rewinding time back to his natural hair color. The next outfit was reminiscent of a 1980s mob boss, complete with a bowler hat and a long coat, and it complemented the music in that segment. By the end of the show, all the fancy outfits were stripped away, leaving behind Kwok. In all white, symbolic of purity and beginnings, it was as if this outfit took fans back to the beginning of his career once more. Together with Kwok, attendees journeyed through his career as he performed songs both old and new.
Preluding the encore, a medley of videos played on the screen, showcasing Kwok’s career from the 1980s until now. As the video dimmed, the start of “I Am Aaron Kwok (Xi De Neng Sports Advertising Song)” played, and the singer reappeared on stage with a loud and thunderous “I am Aaron Kwok.” With such a long career, he’s had a number of hit songs, and Kwok’s choice for his final song highlighted one of his most successful songs to date. Acknowledging that this may be his most iconic song, Kwok asked the crowd if they knew his simple hand twisting choreography, leading to a chorus of cheers. This led into “I Love You Forever (对你爱不完),” the most highly anticipated track of the night. As confetti fluttered in the air, fans rushed to the front of the stage, and the singer’s dancers lifted Kwok on their shoulders for an epic finale.
Just like the lyrics of the song dictate, the love Kwok and his fans have for each other is truly endless. This was clear from the passion and fervor with which the legendary singer performed, and the fans’ passion and fervor with which he was welcomed. Although there were no cheesy promises to return as a better version of himself, he greeted fans in all three languages once more, threw out several hearts to the crowd, and ended the night with the energy at an all-time high.
Click on the photo below to view our photos from the concert:
