Undoubtedly one of the highly anticipated events of 2019, MXM held their Jersey City stop at the White Eagle Hall on Jan. 20. It marked the second stop of MXM's highly anticipated 1st Meet & Live US Tour hosted by Studio PAV.
The Produce 101 Season 2 trainees, Youngmin and Donghyun made their debut under Brand New Music in the fall of 2019 with their first EP UnMix.
A sultry VCR set the mood for the concert as it displayed clips of Youngmin and Donghyun, focusing on their dazzling visuals in black suits. The crowd was already cheering wildly just by seeing MXM on screen, and only grew louder as the boys stepped out on stage for their opening number. Tailored in deep maroon blazers, the duo took the venue full force as they jumped into "Knock Knock," a light energy EDM track from their first full album More Than Ever.
Accompanied by back-up dancers, Youngmin and Donghyun captivated the audience with their powerful dance moves and flawless stage presence. Standing on stage with the first button of his shirt unbuttoned, Youngmin served a casual-yet-alluringly-professional aura on stage, while Donghyun's blazer was wrapped shut with a classy black leather belt that rested delicately, yet dangerously, around his waist. It's a bad boy meets classy vibe that all were there for.
The duo greeted their fans energetically after a floor-grinding, heart-capturing performance of "Love Me Now", and expressed how excited they were to come to America for the first time.
The stage filled with fog and the lights faded into soft rainbow colors as the duo transitioned into a more mellow song, "Hoping That You'd Love Me." They stood on opposite sides of the stage while the fog swirled around them, making the venue feel like the setting of a fairy tale.
Following a playful VCR that brought the audience on a scenic walk with MXM, sharing a few songs off their personal playlists as they go about their day, Youngmin took the stage with a powerful dance performance. Dressed daringly in all white, his first track showed his sultry, smooth dance moves. The music then transitioned into Desiigner's Panda, where Youngmin spelled out the very definition of Swag, hitting every snare and bass in the choreography. The last track was followed by a very professional change in wardrobe, as he suddenly appeared in a super comfy grey sweater that perfectly matched the cute energy he exuded on his last stage. Not just the duality of man, but the "triality" of one (1) Im Youngmin.
Donghyun completely changed the atmosphere with his heart-melting solo stage. Perched on a stool in the middle of the stage with an acoustic guitar in his hands, all spotlights were on the vocalist as the soft strums of his guitar were accompanied by his soulful voice. The bright lights that shined on him were completely unmatched to the even brighter smile he gave to the audience that night.
The solo stages came to an end as MXM's manager strolled onto the stage with signed posters in hand to give away to a few extremely lucky members of the audience while the duo quickly changed outfits in preparation for the next portion of their show. As they came back on stage, they swiftly fell into a Q&A portion with question submitted from the very fans that stood in the audience. One question that read "Where would you like to go if you could go anywhere?" was met with suggestions shouted out by the audience. A fan screamed "Seoul!" and garnered laughter from the duo: Donghyun replied cutely that they live in Seoul already. More questions included their ideal plans in the US (Youngmin eagerly mentioned driving around and exploring) and the song they're currently listening to (Thank U, Next!).
The show continued with "Errday," "Diamond Girl" and "Perfectly Perfect." MXM seamlessly transitioned from one high-energy performance to the next, keeping spirits high throughout the entire show. A fan favorite, "Ya Ya Ya" got everyone in the venue shouting the three words together with Youngmin and Donghyun, who served a groovy and theatrical performance in all of the best ways. The duo were clearly having as much fun singing along with the cheers of their fans.
As MXM stepped off stage, a piano rendition of Produce 101's theme song "Nayana" echoed through the venue as an emotional compilation of their journey played. From pre-debut footage of them practicing in dance rooms, to their PD101 audition and the multiple stages they performed while on the show; seeing the history of the duo brought a wave of nostalgia that washed over the audience. The video then cut to behind the scenes clips of their first photo shoot as a duo - as MXM - and showed their success and progress as idols up until their US tour. The mood brightened immediately as the crowd called upon MXM for one last hurrah in Jersey City.
MXM ended the night with two more songs: I Just Do and Without You. They waved enthusiastically to the fans, sending multiple hearts and blowing kisses in every direction before taking their last bow of the night.
