What to know about the K-Pop band BTS playing at Stanford Stadium

The South Korean pop band BTS will perform at Stanford Stadium on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday as part of their first tour in four years.

Here are a few things to know about the concerts:

• Palo Altans should expect more traffic and will hear music each night the band performs. Amplified sound will be audible starting at approximately 5:30 p.m. through 10 on show nights, Stanford said in an announcement. The concerts will conclude at 10 each night.

• There will be fireworks at each concert.

• The shows quickly sold out back in January, when tickets went on sale. Online re-sellers list ticket prices ranging up to $210 for Saturday’s concert.

• At Stanford, BTS will play to a combined audience of about 150,000 over the three days.

• What does BTS mean? The name stands for Bangtan Sonyeondan (Bulletproof Boy Scouts), and later, “Beyond the Scene.”

• BTS is comprised of seven members: RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook.

• Big bands have followers. The Grateful Dead have Deadheads. BTS’ fans are known as “ARMY,” which stands for Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth.

• Why hasn’t BTS performed in four years? In 2021, the pandemic stopped them from touring. Then the seven members of the band had to fulfill mandatory South Korean military service. Now they’ve been released from the military, so they’ve begun this worldwide tour. Old timers might recall that in 1958 Elvis had to put his career on hold after he was drafted and served in the Army.

• BTS is known for blending hip-hop, R&B and pop, music writers have said. Their music addresses mental health, the pressures of youth, and self-love, often using literature and psychology concepts in their storytelling. For instance, the song “Young Forever” sends a comforting message to young people in despair whose dreams meet obstacles, as the chorus repeats, “I have reasons I should love myself.” Moreover, BTS members write and produce their music, giving their work the feel of authenticity that differentiates them from some mass-produced K-pop groups.

• As the Post first reported on Jan. 14, Santa Clara County Principal Planner Robert Salisbury granted Stanford a permit to host a three-night concert series at the stadium on May 16, 17 and 19.

• Stanford says such concerts benefit the region from an economic perspective. Stanford cites an Oxford Economics study that said last year’s Coldplay concerts at Stanford generated approximately $32 million for the regional economy, including over $18 million from nonlocal patrons, and $2.2 million in state and local taxes. The events also supported 220 total full-time equivalent jobs.