K-pop icon Seventeen lit up the UBS Arena on Friday night, on the first of two sold out shows in Belmont Park. The group is currently on tour across the U.S, to the delight of the many fans who have not seen them in two years.
The atmosphere outside the arena was electrifying from the early afternoon hours, as fans made their way towards the fan membership-only area to retrieve their tour exclusive photocards. Bursts of screams and laughter would erupt every few seconds, and many would proceed to the card trading area to hunt for their favorite member. Throughout the day, many would give out little freebies away, in a sea of impressive Seventeen-themed outfits, banners and flags.
The lights went down at 7:30 on the dot, with the “Maestro” music video serving as a soft intro. The group emerged from the back of the stage, kicking off with “Fear”, soon followed by the live version of “Maestro”. The energy is unlike anything seen in the west; with intricate choreographies and sharp precision, the eleven members complimented each other perfectly, exuding charisma and confidence. Notably absent from the original thirteen-member formation were Jeonghan and Jun, as the former recently started mandatory military service, and the latter is currently pursuing acting projects in China. Despite this, Seventeen not only manages to have a strong stage presence, but they also make sure to include or mention the members in many different ways.
It is now time for the unit performances, kicking off with the Hip Hop Unit: group leader S.Coups, alongside rappers Vernon, Wonwoo and Mingyu, took the stage for explosive performances of “Water” and “Monster”. The Performance Unit would closely follow: team leader and main dancer Hoshi, joined by The 8 and Dino, would go on to perform “Rain” and “Lilili Yabbay”. Without catching a breath, the back of the stage lit up for the Vocal Unit, with team leader Woozi, Joshua, DK and Seungkwan performing “Candy” and the euphoric “Cheers To Youth”. The members would reunite once again, with a series of skits and sing-alongs that were accompanied by many interactions with the crowd, as they expressed their thoughts and gratitude towards Carats ⎻ Seventeen’s fandom name ⎻, creating a more personal connection.
As the main set approached its conclusion, it was now Carat Time: a chance for fans to sing along to songs popping up on the screen, as loud as they could. The cameras caught many dancing and singing their hearts off, as the arena turned into a party. The group returned to the stage with “Adore U”, and took one last heartwarming moment to talk to the fans, as they all expressed their feelings one by one. It was time for “VERY NICE”, the iconic show closer that is undoubtedly neverending. Confetti cannons would go off, as the members would find clever ways to reintroduce the chorus of the song, with vocalist Seugnkwan going down to the barricade to get a few lucky fans to sing the pre-chorus. The connection between Seventeen and Carats is at its closest here, with fans finding hilarious ways to make the members smile, laugh, and even cringe. They would go on to ask the crowd which songs they would like to hear that were not on the setlist, as they casually sung snippets of anything that was requested. After an electrifying 3 hour show, it was time for Seventeen to say goodbye, leaving everyone in attendance with a big smile on their faces and a plethora of unforgettable memories.
Words by Maria Alejandra Mata
Photos courtesy of PLEDIS Entertainment
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