Seeing ONEUS step out onto the stage at New York's Town Hall on November 3rd was no different than seeing fireworks light up a night sky ethereal and bright. The group began their 'FLY WITH US' 2019 USA Tour, brought to you by MyMusicTaste, in the city that never sleeps, New York! (And we wouldn't dare sleep on the talents of ONEUS).
Glitter signs and glowing blue headbands filled in the crowd, with fans screaming the names of their favorite members. As the lights dimmed and the opening VCR played, the audience rose from their seats in preparation for seeing ONEUS live. Cue the screams - ONEUS took the stage in creamy white outfits, reminiscent of the moon in the night sky. Basked in cool blue light, they kicked off the show with "Intro: Time" off their second mini-album, Raise Us.
Transitioning from the smooth tones and soft vocals of "Intro: Time," ONEUS jumped into their debut song, "Valkyrie." Once the iconic guitar melody hit the speakers, the crowd erupted into the song's fanchant. ONEUS debuted earlier this January - and their stage presence went far beyond what you'd normally expect of a rookie group less than a year old.
(Photo: Karen May)
Due to health reasons, main vocalist Seoho was unable to participate in ONEUS's tour — but that didn't stop To Moons in NYC from showing their love and support during the show. Though Seoho wasn't able to be there, the boys made up for it by bringing out a plush Seoho doll, dressed in a cute animal onesie (Xion diligently held onto him during every ment, and they placed the doll in the middle for their final farewell bow). A To Moon in the audience even gave the doll a tiny pair of glasses, highlighting a loved accessory that Seoho regularly wears.
ONEUS didn't hesitate to show their excitement of being in New York City for their first-ever tour —Ravn and Leedo often shouted out "New York City!!!" before jumping into energetic rap verses. Keonhee floated across the stage in excitement, waving and interacting with fans. Hwanwoong always burst into dance with fans in the audience, and Xion sent so many finger hearts to the crowd that we lost count! With their vibrant, upbeat song "Eye Contact," every member made an effort to make eye contact with their To Moons — even taking it a step further by asking the venue to turn the lights in the audience up so they could see their To Moons more clearly.
A VCR prefaced "Crazy & Crazy," with rappers Ravn and Leedo acting as judges in a parody of Show Me The Money, appropriately titled Show Me The Us. The song originally featured labelmate (and producer of the song!) Cya from ONEUS's brother band ONEWE - the VCR showed the Keonhee, Seoho, Hwangwoong, and Xion auditioning to be featured in the song on the live stage. Ravn and Leedo took the stage solo for their portions of the track, building anticipation through their hard-hitting rap and melodic deep tones, respectively — finally, the NYC winner of Show Me The Us was revealed to be none other than the main dancer, Hwanwoong!
ONEUS switched their stage outfits from silky, white to sleek black jackets and shiny boots as they reappeared as a group to "Level Up." They then announced the performance portion of their concert with Hwanwoong starting the segment: a solo choreography to Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road." The members then alternated on and off the stage through a sexy rendition of The Weeknd's "The Hill," showing their skills with the use of multiple props in their choreography - it's not a party without references to the iconic film "Kingsman," and the crowd went wild at the sight of Hwanwoong dancing with an umbrella prop.
The members re-entered the stage for "Lit," with outfits that reflected the song's perfect mixture of traditional Korean flavors and modern swag. They wore pieces composed of long flowery Joseon era fabrics; white embroidery on dark swatches adorned with chains and chokers. As ONEUS's latest title track, "Lit" calls To Moons to go with them — and with the volume of the fan chants, many of them really did.
To make the concert even more interactive, ONEUS conducted a raffle where winners in the audience would leave the venue with exclusive signed photos of the members! Keonhee expertly displayed what the winner should do if their raffle number was called: jump and dance and call all the attention. As the winners were announced, the members congratulated and danced alongside the audience, receiving laughs and cheers all around.
ONEUS's request for the next song set the tone for the upcoming segment of the show. Piano chords echoed through the venue as the audience became the lights for ONEUS during "White Night", illuminating the stage with their phones. Bathed in the lights from beloved fans, ONEUS and To Moon shared an intimate moment.
They continued to ramp up the emotions of To Moons with "Red Thread," a B-side off of ONEUS' debut album. The intricate choreography featured red chiffon ribbons that interlaced and weaved between members, a reference to the red string of fate. Their passion and feelings effortlessly reached the audience, as if To Moons and ONEUS were always fated to be connected.
ONEUS wrapped up their show with the theatrical, dub-step infused track "Twilight." Paired with a dynamic, quick-stepped choreography in the chorus, the group established their standing as explosive rookies with their addictive stage presence and immaculate fan service.
A goodbye at a K-Pop concert is never really a goodbye. ONEUS returned to the stage for a highly anticipated encore dressed in FLY WITH US Tour merchandise to perform their pre-debut release "Last Song." Created and released as a joint song with brother group, ONEWE, "Last Song" served as a celebration of the memories that the RBW artists spent with fans prior to debut. In New York City, it's an everlasting love letter from ONEUS to their To Moons - and we can't wait to do it again, and see ONEUS on their next world tour!
Special thank you to MyMusicTaste and RBW Entertainment for bringing ONEUS on tour in the USA! If you'd like to see ONEUS again, don't forget to make their campaign on MyMusicTaste!
