Who is DPR?
DPR isn’t necessarily a singular person. Instead, DPR (Dream Perfect Regime) is a creative collective filled with multi-genre music makers that all write, produce and collaborate with each other. For their 2024 Dream Reborn World Tour Australian stop, proudly presented by Live Nation, DPR Arctic, DPR Cream and DPR Ian each took to the stage at their DPR Melbourne concert at Festival Hall on Tuesday the 10th of December 2024.
Entering the venue, the long screens on stage had the DPR logo displayed, accented with deep neon blue lights. Fans were gathered as close to the stage as they could, some wielded with their official DPR lightsticks. When it was time for the concert to start, a digital feminine being welcomed Melbourne patrons, making the tour visit feel more like a retro space themed strange transitory universal frontier that we were all about to embark on.
First up was DPR Arctic, who unleashed the party vibes from the get-go. Appearing a little shy, Arctic did his best to interact with the Melbourne audience, saying “Hello everyone!” and kindly thanking patrons for coming along. His music, which included ‘Escape’, ‘Dream’ and the remix version to collaborative track with DPR Ian ‘Do or Die’, encouraged patrons to get into the spirit and dance along. Arctic’s set was brilliant but brief and included mesmerising visuals on the large screen behind him, while the stage and venue were appropriately lit with dancing lasers.
Next up was DPR Cream. After a colourful introduction from the big screens, DPR Cream stepped on stage notably wearing a baseball cap with headphones on. He too appeared bashful and the unique lighting with the large screens and their visuals often had Cream looking like a wandering silhouette. This didn’t hinder Cream’s performance however, and he thoroughly impressed with his skills on the keyboard during his set.
Proudly sharing that this visit was actually his 4th time in Melbourne, DPR Cream commented that the Melbourne weather was better than the previously visited and humid Sydney, although he was feeling quite “hot” due to everyone’s fun energy. Cream’s vocals were smooth and pleasing to the ear, and songs showcased during his set included the gorgeous ‘darling’ (my favourite of his) and his own favourite ‘puberty’. I thoroughly enjoyed DPR Cream’s performance and it was sad to see him go once his time was up.
Last but not least was DPR Ian. Of the trio line-up, DPR Ian was the only one I had seen previously in his Singapore debut at music festival Sundown Live 2023. Like Cream, Ian is no stranger to Australia, however, his relationship with our country is a bit different.
Ian was born and raised in Sydney and this was evident by the thick Aussie accent that the Korean-Australian artist had. The artist reminisced about his time growing up in Australia, sharing that his Grandma used to make nice traditional Korean food to take to school with him. Growing up in Wollongong, Ian confessed that he was one of only two Asians in his town and that he realised later it was amazing because it felt really good to be different.
To remind the Melbourne audience that he hadn’t lost touch with his Aussie roots, the Los Angeles based creative chanted the typical Australian cheer “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie”, sang the Australian national anthem word for word with the Melbourne crowd, and he even nostalgically jumped into singing the 90s Aussie TV show theme song of the same name, ‘Round the Twist’. Props to many in the audience who also recognised the theme song. I too loved that show as a kid. Beaming with pride, Ian affectionately shared with Melbourne fans, “I never realised how amazing Australia was until I started having to live in other countries.”
Seeing DPR Ian at a DPR concert was a completely different experience than seeing him in a festival setting. He appeared more comfortable than when I last saw him, and he had more creative freedom to spread his wings (both figuratively and literally). Unlike his labelmates, Ian had a full band and dancers at his disposal to accompany him during certain numbers. Ian himself is a fantastic dancer too, and I was impressed that the dancing (I had never seen him dance previously) never hindered his magnetic stage presence, his strong vocals, nor the depth and emotion that he exhibited behind each performance.
Ian was very interactive and open with the Melbourne crowd, even throwing fans into a frenzy when he shared that he was thinking of shaving all his hair off, which had fans screaming in protest, a response Ian was amused by. He also took the time to openly speak about mental health; “I love being genuine and honest. I had a hard time trying to accept myself. Life is about fucking up.” I really liked the raw honesty from the Korean-Australian. It was genuine, very humble and refreshing.
When Ian wasn’t chatting with his attentive and adoring Melbourne audience, he thoroughly impressed with his catchy original music. Highlights of the night included ‘Don’t Go Insane’, ‘Bad Cold’, ‘So Beautiful’, ‘Calico’, ‘Scaredy Cat’, and ‘Nerves’, however I’ve come to learn that every DPR Ian song is a good song. Ian also shared the unreleased track ‘I Am Nobody’ which was well received by fans.
Reaching the end of the concert, it appeared that nobody in the venue wanted the night to end. Ian stated, “Did we all have fun though? It was pretty crazy, I won’t lie. I think I absolutely love, love performing here.” His speech then went into the introduction of his signature hero song ‘Ballroom Extravaganza’ which Ian shared, “Really, really helped me out of the darkest times.” Ian then quipped, “Are you ready for one last rodeo? Are you with me, Melbourne?”, before he kicked into the epic and iconic song which had everyone in the venue up on their feet, elated and dancing.
To conclude the evening, all three DPR artists returned to combine their powers and perform the collaborative track, ‘Do or Die’. The Melbourne audience eagerly and energetically welcomed DPR Arctic, DPR Cream and DPR Ian back. Showing their deep love for their fans, the trio even lingered a while to kindly sign CDs for patient and dedicated fans at the front of the stage, long after the music finished.
This Australian tour Melbourne show was my first experience at a DPR concert. Each artist showcased their unique gifts and styles, thoroughly impressing excited patrons, some of which waited for hours to get the best spots nearest to the stage. I wished that DPR Arctic and DPR Cream had longer sets, but this just gives them a reason to go back into the studio to create more music for future tours. As for DPR Ian, he’s reminded everyone and has cemented the fact that he’s one of Australia’s greatest exports in Asian music.
DPR: The Dream Reborn 2024 World Tour Melbourne show was a mighty impressive immersive live music experience. The talent in this concert tour alone was insane and I would gladly see all three artists again, should they return to Australia for another visit.
The DPR: The Dream Reborn 2024 World Tour, proudly presented by Live Nation, took place in Melbourne on Tuesday the 10th of December at Festival Hall. The Melbourne show was the final leg of the Australian tour.
For more information, visit:
https://dreamperfectregime.com
https://www.instagram.com/dpr_official
https://www.livenation.com.au/dpr-tickets-adp1501746
Photography by Ian Reyno.
