The August 10 concert has become a hot topic. Images of people wearing red and yellow starred flags flocking to My Dinh National Stadium, a "sea" of audience members placing their hands on their chests to sing the national anthem, and passing the national flag have evoked strong emotions.

As a revolutionary music concert that didn't promote the participating artists, the program proved its appeal with over 3 million accounts visiting the website to register for tickets. Although free, not every political art event achieves this. Before the performance, many groups buying, selling, and exchanging tickets were active. Close to the starting time, scalpers were constantly asking to buy tickets from attendees, with the highest price around over 1 million VND (approximately 43 USD).

Artist Dang Duong, one of the concert's vocalists, said he was overwhelmed by the audience's enthusiasm, "I've participated in many art nights, but this is the first time I've sung revolutionary music in a stadium, in front of 50,000 people. The audience energized the artists, making us extremely excited".

Le Tinh, an 81-year-old veteran, said he was surprised that many younger audience members knew the songs associated with his generation.

A corner of the "national concert" stage. Photo: Provided by the organizers.

Previously, only pop and K-pop concerts, such as Blackpink and Anh Trai Say Hi, could draw tens of thousands of people to stadiums. Blackpink's 2023 show, held over two days, had a total of 67,000 attendees, while each night of Anh Trai Say Hi had around over 30,000. Since the 50th anniversary of national reunification, many revolutionary and traditional music programs have become equally popular.

In April, the Hen Uoc Bac - Nam program at My Dinh National Stadium had 12,000 attendees. The Mua Xuan Thong Nhat concert in Ho Chi Minh City had 5,000 attendees. The opening art program of the parade also received enthusiastic support from thousands of fans, with many performances creating a positive impact. These programs build relatable stories, connecting the past, present, and future.

Gen Z uses the term "national concert" to refer to these events and often invite each other to attend. The organizers of To Quoc Trong Tim used this term as a main promotional keyword, further exciting the audience.

The music genre associated with older generations is now loved by young people, creating a new trend in music appreciation and a novel phenomenon. From moderately sized theaters, these events are now held in open spaces like parks and stadiums, with large and magnificent stages utilizing modern technology. The To Quoc Trong Tim stage was designed in a V-shape – the first letter of Vietnam. The Hen Uoc Bac Nam program’s stage featured two staggered blocks, symbolizing North and South Vietnam, with the Hien Luong Bridge over the Ben Hai River in the middle.

Regarding content, the production teams selected familiar revolutionary songs, creating harmony between the lyrics, vocals, sound, and lighting, aiming to touch young people's emotions. The performers are also faces loved by Gen Z, such as Soobin, Hoa Minzy, and Noo Phuoc Thinh.

According to singer Tung Duong, artists are now striving to refresh revolutionary music to prolong the life of the works, "During wartime, our forefathers performed in a simple way. Now, we want to convey the heroic spirit of peacetime, so we often mix the songs with rock, R&B, and hip-hop, creating vibrant energy".

Thanks to this, revolutionary songs easily reach young people. At the To Quoc Trong Tim concert, the crowd sang along from beginning to end. Several moments where the audience chanted familiar lines like "Ho do ta nao, keo phao ta vuot qua nui" ("Ho Keo Phao", composed by Hoang Van) or "Nao anh em ta cung nhau xong pha len dang" ("Len Dang", composed by Luu Huu Phuoc) have gone viral.

On his personal page, tech entrepreneur Do Cao Bao commented, "No international stars, no trendy music, just a political concert with familiar songs about the homeland and country. But those things touched the heart, touched national pride". His opinion was widely agreed upon and shared.

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Social media has also contributed to increasing the reach of revolutionary and patriotic songs. "Viet Tiep Cau Chuyen Hoa Binh", composed by Nguyen Van Chung, was released two years ago, but became truly famous after young producer Duc Tu remixed it and posted it on TikTok, attracting billions of views. Linh Lan, a middle-aged audience member, said she only knew the song after seeing a video of students singing and dancing to it on TikTok. Many videos like "Tien Ve Sai Gon" (sung by Oplus) or "Mot Vong Viet Nam" (sung by Tung Duong) also have millions of views.

In addition, successful shows like "Anh Trai Vuot Ngan Chong Gai" and "Bai Hat Cua Chung Ta" give a new look to this music genre, making young audiences find songs like "Me Yeu Con" (composed by Nguyen Van Ty) and "Chiec Khan Pieu" (composed by Doan Nho) more youthful and relatable.

Besides enjoying the music, young people attending "national concerts" also show inspiring actions by wearing red and yellow starred flags. Phrases like "patriotic fandom" and "national flag lightstick" have become new cultural trends.

Artist Thanh Hoa and Hoa Minzy sing "Rung Xanh Vang Tieng Ta-Lu" (composed by Phuong Nam) at the "Hen Uoc Bac - Nam" program in April. Video: Loc Chung.

Lan Anh, a 21-year-old student in Hanoi, said that while enjoying the program, she felt that revolutionary music wasn't as dry as she had thought. "After the concert, the melodies still echoed in my head. I'm listening to many songs again, like "Doan Ve Quoc Quan" (composed by Phan Huynh Dieu) and "Dat Nuoc Tron Niem Vui" (composed by Hoang Ha), and learning the lyrics more carefully to prepare for the next concerts," she said.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Bui Hoai Son, "national concerts" bring positive values to everyone, "As our country enters an era of global integration, digital transformation, and green development, concerts like To Quoc Trong Tim remind us of our roots: patriotism and national pride. This is the foundation for us to embrace the new without losing our identity, to be ready to compete while still retaining the Vietnamese soul".

The "national concert" effect has led to many musical events organized to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day (2/9) being well-received and attracting public attention. Many people are looking for tickets to programs like "Ha Noi Tu Mua Thu Lich Su Nam 1945" (August 15 at the August Revolution Square), "Tu Hao La Nguoi Viet Nam" (August 17 at My Dinh National Stadium), and "Viet Nam Trong Toi" (August 26 in Dong Anh, Hanoi).

Ha Thu