VIXX: Why VIXX’s Concert Was Worth Its Ticket Price

Concert Review: VIXX

South Korean boy band VIXX lulled fans to a utopian high in their latest leg at Singapore on May 29 for their Live Fantasia Utopia tour. Hitting our shores for the first time, the sexy sextet owned the stage with highly synchronized choreography coupled with powerhouse vocals, all packed within 150 minutes.

Besides the slew of catchy songs that tickled our Kpop fancy, the passionate responses from Starlights [the official name for their fans] bore testament to their rising fame. Here are 5 reasons why VIXX concert was worth watching:

1. Well-conceived concert concept

True to their reputation as concept-dols (concept idols), the concert boasted VIXX’s past concepts, which spun a tale of their transformation from somberness to a utopic paradise.

The boys hit the stage running with their first song, “On and On”, decked out in all-black sparkly outfits. Finally seeing the group in the flesh, the crowd burst into shrill declarations of love for their favorite members as VIXX continued the set with songs from earlier albums like “Rock Ur Body” and “Say U Say Me”.

But the light-heartedness soon transited into a dark fantasy where VIXX performed songs like “Hyde” and “Eternity” before finally entering utopia at last – a fun-loving world marked by euphoric songs. Keeping up the mood, they wrapped up the concert with “You’re Impressive”.

2. They Rock As Solo Performancers Too

Executing dance moves with sleek precision and killing those high notes wasn’t all that kept the high energy in the hall running. The incredible solo performances by the boys are surely reason to justify the concert withdrawal symptoms.

First up was main vocalist Ken’s (Lee Jae Hwan) rendition of “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele, as he pulled off the high notes effortlessly and impressed with perfect articulation.

Maknae Hyuk (Han Sang Hyuk), the baby in the band at 20, definitely worked his aegyo [cuteness] to his advantage as he charmed fans with his sweet cover of Jeff Bernat’s “Call You Mine”. It was almost cruel when he threw a rose into the audience and sent everyone clawing for it.

Ravi (Kim Won Sik), rocking an oversized black fur coat, heated the stage with his unreleased “Ghost” rap. Similarly, main vocalist Leo (Jung Taek Woon) performed his original song titled “Words to Say”. Hmm, is this a new album we smell?

Hongbin (Lee Hong Bin) showed he’s more than just a pretty face in his dance segment, incorporating funky and trippy digital effects that saw him duplicating and escaping captivity from a cube.

Last but not least, leader N (Cha Hak Yeon) proved why he’s hailed as the ‘dance machine’ of the team. He descended the stairs and glided across the stage with poise and sexiness, all while being blindfolded.

3. Top-notch Fan Service

A Chaplinesque VCR where members role-played different human emotions in slow motion had fans cooing at the adorable skinship [physical contact] when Leo shielded his lips from Ravi’s ‘attack’, an act of “push and pull” by playing hard to get.

The boys also conducted a short vocal practice session for adoring fans where members free-styled. All was going well until Leo segued into a martial arts session with a double spinning hook kick followed by N’s cheeky chest-scratching demonstration (much to his group’s disdain).

4. Sophisticated Visuals

K-Pop concerts are famous for their arresting visual spectacle and true enough, the aesthetic elements of VIXX’s concert didn’t disappoint. Fans were shocked when the massive screen flashed the message: “THE LAST SONG OF VIXX”, evident from the plunge into silence amidst the darkness. The boys appeared and proceeded with the long awaited “Error”, accentuated by the visual of a ticking time bomb that synched with a countdown of the end of the song.

But it turned out everything was merely a tease when another message popped up: “IS YOUR HEART STILL BEATING?” The graphic of a buffering heart showed up, making way for the real highlight of the concert where VIXX delivered “Love Equation”, the lead song from their latest single. Cheeky.

5. United (and Generous) Fans

It was a pity that the Korean management had axed the sales of merchandise, meaning no official light sticks whatsoever. However, a group of Starlights took this matter into their own hands by handing out their own light sticks to concertgoers, resulting in the dazzling sea of blue during the concert. Fan support groups like GalaxierSG and VIXXSSST also distributed banners that read “Always By Your Side” and “Let’s Run Together Till The End”, alongside instructions on when to wave them about.

As much as the boys whipped up a blast of bravura performances, it was the Starlights that tore the house down with their thunderous screaming and unending chanting.

Although VIXX has only debuted for three years, they do possess a certain je ne sais quoi that tells of a promising future as superstars. Judging from the way they captivated Starlights with unapologetic confidence, they seem ready for the responsibility.

Did you attend VIXX’s concert? Tell us what you think and who’s your favorite performer in the Comment section below!

Set List:

• On and One
• Voodoo Doll
• Light Up The Darkness
• Secret Night
• Rolling In The Deep by Adele (Ken’s Solo)
• Ghost (Ravi’s Solo)
• Call You Mine by Jeff Bernet (Hyuk’s Solo)
• Sad Ending
• Say U Say Me
• Rock Ur Body
• Love Letter
• Someday
• Words To Say (Leo’s Solo)
• Fighting Sequence (Hongbin’s Dance Solo)
• Stress (auto remix) by Justice (N’s Dance Solo)
• Hyde
• Beautiful Killer
• Eternity
• Error
• Love Equation
• From Now On, You’re Mine
• You’re Impressive/G.R.8.U

Photos courtesy of Melvin Ng and Charlotte Low.