On June 2, the 2018 iHeartRadio KIIS FM’s annual Wango Tango by AT&T welcomed Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, Meghan Trainor, Backstreet Boys, 5 Seconds of Summer, NF, Marshmello, Logic, Miguel, Sabrina Carpenter and Janelle Monae (with Ryan Seacrest as the host of course). The official kick off of summer, the concert was located at the recently opened Banc of California Stadium, and it was the first concert to be hosted at this venue.
What makes Wango Tango so irresistible is that it is an all-day celebration. The KIIS FM Wango Tango Village was ready to go early in the afternoon and featured many different activities, including free live performances by Jack & Jack, Sabrina Carpenter, Lauv, Logan Henderson, Bryce Vine and Farrah Mechael.
Lauv performing on the Wango Tango Village stage.
Sabrina Carpenter performing on the Wango Tango Village stage.
The concert got started with an introduction by Ryan Seacrest, and then Sabrina Carpenter came out to sing her latest single, “Almost Love.”
She was followed by Janelle Monae, who sang her hits “Make Me Feel” and “I Like That.”
The screams of the crowd alerted me that 5 Seconds of Summer was performing next (it’s hard to miss). They had their fans reminiscing when they performed “Amnesia” and “She Looks So Perfect.” They then faded into their other hits “Youngblood” and “Want You Back.”
After 5-SOS, I realized it was already 8:00 p.m., and I was starving. I had eyed a girl’s brisket sandwich earlier in the night, and I knew immediately that I had to order it from Bludso’s BBQ. It was by far one of the best beef brisket sandwiches I have ever had with its tangy sauce, fresh coleslaw and soft bread. I’m not a huge BBQ beef person, but I would order this sandwich again in a heartbeat.
After filling up on my delicious sandwich, I took my seat again and listened to NF sing “Let You Down.”
Shawn Mendes then came out and got the crowd going wild with his older hit songs “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back,” “Stitches” and “Mercy.” He also played “In My Blood,” “Lost in Japan” and “Nervous” off of his newest album. You could tell that the crowd had been waiting for him to come out with all of the piercing loud screams coming from within. He’s got a lot of fans, to say the least.
L.A. native Miguel performed “Remind Me to Forget” and “Sky Walker” (a personal favorite when performed live).
Meghan Trainor performed “All About That Bass,” “NO,” “Let You Be Right” and really got the crowd swaying with “Like I’m Gonna Lose You.”
In honor of Pride Month, rainbow patterned flags were placed on every seat on the floor so that the audience could wave them during the performances.
Next up were the good ol’ Backstreet Boys, who put on a phenomenal performance. With “Larger than Life,” “I Want It That Way,” “Everybody” and their new song “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” the throwback vibes were at an all-time high. Everyone needs to hear “I Want It That Way” live at least once in their lifetime.
Ariana Grande’s vocals, especially live, are not for the faint of heart. I was shocked when she sang four of her songs straight through without taking a break. She sang “Dangerous Woman,” “One Last Time,” “Side to Side” and “Into You,” but then surprised the crowd by performing her new song, “The Light Is Coming,” featuring her “big sister” Nicki Minaj. If this new song was any indicator, you definitely need to be on the lookout for her new album, Sweetener, when it is released in August.
The show ended with Marshmello churning out some hits, like “Friends” and “Silence.” The highlight for me was when he brought out Logic to perform “Everyday.” Even though it was nearing midnight and the concert was heading into its fourth hour, the crowd was still hyped with the EDM music, and they continued to dance the night away.
The only downside to the entire night was that I wish that it could have lasted longer! Logic only came out to do one song with Marshmello, and then he left. I was hoping he would have his own set, especially since his newest album just came out a few months ago, but alas, we will just have to wait until next time!