J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn at Barclays Center — Day 1

J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1
J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn — Day 1

Yesterday was the first date of the North American leg of J-Hope's Hope on the Stage Tour in Brooklyn (sadly, the only day of the tour that I got tickets to). It was a flawless concert with an absolutely loaded set list that included old classics ("1 VERSE"), new favourites (the world premiere of his unreleased new single, "Mona Lisa"), songs across his entire solo discography, and a select few BTS bangers: 

1. What If…
2. Pandora's Box
3. Arson
4. STOP
5. MORE
6. On the Street
7. Lock / Unlock
8. I Don't Know
9. I Wonder…
10. Trivia: Just Dance
11. Sweet Dreams
12. MONA LISA (World Premiere)
13. 1 VERSE
14. Base Line
15. HANGSANG
16. Airplane
17. Airplane, Pt. 2
18. MIC Drop
19. Silver Spoon (Baepsae)
20. Dis-ease
21. Outro: Ego
22. Daydream
23. Chicken Noodle Soup
24. Hope World
25. = (Equal Sign)
26. Future
27. NEURON

Tens of thousands of ARMYs from all over showed up (let's not talk about the insane line-ups) and proved why we are still the biggest and baddest fandom in the world. The crowd was electric, just pure energy. I am so, so, so glad I got tickets to this concert (and lower bowl seats, at that!). It was entirely worth flying to NYC for only one day. 

(I've uploaded about one minute-long reels of almost every performance from this concert on my Instagram, in case you're interested. And so I can re-live this show until the next OT7 concert.)

Jungkook — GOLDEN Live on Stage

(Photo source: BTS Official Twitter)
(Photo source: BTS Official Twitter)
(Photo source: BTS Official Twitter)
(Photo source: BTS Official Twitter)

1. Standing Next to You
2. Yes or No
3. Somebody
4. Closer to You
5. 3D
6. GCF in Budapest
7. Hate You
8. Shot Glass of Tears
9. Too Sad to Dance
10. Please Don't Change
11. Seven
12. Magic Shop
13. Still With You

Ooof, well worth waking up early for. Each song sounded amazing live, but the one that surprised me the most was "Somebody," which was actually one of my least favourite songs when I first heard it and is now one of my Top 5 on GOLDEN. (I initially thought there was too much voice manipulation on the recording to make his voice sound that deep, but that is his actual voice. It's incredible. He can literally make himself sound like a completely different singer.) I also thought he'd go with "Euphoria" for his encore, but he chose "Magic Shop" which immediately brought back memories of their Love Yourself and Speak Yourself tours, and I found myself starting to tear up out of sheer nostalgia. (God, I can't wait until 2025.) "Still With You" was the perfect song to end with — not just because she showcases his incredible vocals on it, but for the sentiment and the fact that he wrote this song specifically for ARMY. He could easily go on a world tour if he added some of his BTS solo songs and I would pay an exorbitant amount of money for those tickets. 

Agust D | SUGA Tour: D-DAY: THE FINAL — Day 3

(Image source: BTS Official Twitter)
(Image source: BTS Official Twitter)
(Image source: BTS Official Twitter)
(Image source: BTS Official Twitter)

This was undoubtedly the most emotional and most meaningful concert of the Agust D D-DAY Tour and I am so glad this is the one I got a live streaming ticket for. With both Hobi and Jin taking the day off from military duties to attend, and RM performing "Strange" as well as a new, unreleased song, we have come full circle — all seven members were in attendance for this tour, and ended with BTS' founding fathers coming together for Yoongi's last solo concert before enlistment. 

Yoongi started crying during "Snooze" and throughout "Dear My Friend," and all ARMY watching, myself included, collectively cried with him. For me, it's especially heartbreaking to see Yoongi cry because he's usually so stoic and rarely shows his emotions so openly. You could tell how much this concert, this tour, his music, and his fans mean to him. He finally revealed his '7' tattoo on his left shoulder, right next to the scar from his surgery — a poignant reminder of his motorcycle accident, the accident that caused him so much mental and physical pain for over a decade — and said goodbye to us while walking through the same door featured in "Amygdala," showing us that he is finally free. It was the perfect ending to this tour.

And with that, he can officially put Agust D to rest.

Paramore: This is Why 2023 North American Tour in Toronto at Scotiabank Arena

Paramore at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
Paramore at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
Paramore at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
Paramore at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
Paramore at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
Paramore at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
Paramore at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
Paramore at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
Paramore at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
Paramore at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
Paramore at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
Paramore at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto\
Paramore at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
Paramore at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
This was my 6th time seeing Paramore live in the last 18 years, and they somehow get better and more impressive with every album cycle. Last night's two-hour setlist was a great mix of old and new, upbeat and mellow, and cynical and contemplative, with some incredibly nostalgic moments:

1. You First
2. The News
3. That's What You Get
4. Playing God
5. Caught in the Middle
6. Rose-Colored Boy
7. Running Out of Time
8. Decode
9. Last Hope
10. Big Man, Little Dignity
11. Liar
12. Crystal Clear (Hayley Williams song)
13. Hard Times
14. Told You So
15. Figure 8
16. The Only Exception
17. Baby (HalfNoise song)
18. Crave
19. Misery Business (with fan performance)
20. Ain't It Fun
21. Still Into You
22. This Is Why

It's crazy to think that I discovered them totally by accident in 2005 — my friends and I arrived early at a small dingy bar in London, Ontario, to see Armor for Sleep and Funeral for a Friend, and decided to stay inside to watch this underage band open for them. (I was so impressed that I decided to buy a copy of their debut album after the show. They were selling them out of a suitcase.) And now they sell out arena tours. 

Thank you, Paramore, for deciding to stay together and letting me grow up with you.

BTS EPISODE: RM — Live in Seoul at Rolling Hall Concert Sketch

Oh, man. There really is nothing like the energy of a small venue concert. I'm still jealous of those 200 fans who got to witness this greatness in real life. (But also, how fucking amazing is Paul Blanco's live vocals?!)

SUGA | Agust D TOUR Announcement

I NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE THE DAY. I applied for both the ARMY Member Presale and the General Verified Fan Presale for Newark, so pray for me because I NEED TO SEE AGUST D IN ALL HIS GLORY.

RM — Live in Seoul at Rolling Hall

This! THIS!!! Shows like this are exactly how I got into live music and how I got so obsessed with going to concerts. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate a spectacular stadium or arena show, but there's nothing like watching your favourite artist in a small, intimate venue that builds that connection to their music. I can totally understand why to RM, who already has the immense fame and money, would see this as his dream concert. RM fucking killed this show. (And the surprise appearances by Paul Blanco, Kim Sawol, Colde, and Youjeen!!! RM really picked some phenomenal vocalists to feature on his album.) I am so, so jealous of the lucky ones who got to witness this in real life.

BTS EPISODE: J-Hope at Lollapalooza 2022

I know I've already said this, but J-Hope's stage at Lollapalooza was utter perfection. I know how much work he and the band and the staff put into this, but it really paid off. Not only does it show off J-Hope's professionalism, showmanship, and raw performance power, but it also shows how much of a fucking masterpiece Jack in the Box is. So, so proud of him. And I can't wait to see him perform at 2022 MAMA.

Jin at Coldplay Music of the Spheres Tour at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires — "The Astronaut" (with Coldplay)

"About six months ago, one of their members called me up and he said, 'I have to leave the band in December for two years and join the army in Korea because that's the rules there.' And he said, 'I need a song that says goodbye to everybody for a little while, that tells them that I love them.'" — Chris Martin

Jin's last words on stage were, "I love you, ARMYs."

This was such a beautiful, precious, and momentous performance. It's so surreal for me to see Jin performing with a band that I've been listening to for over 20 years, and I'm sure equally surreal to him to perform with his long-time favourite musicians. I'm so happy for him that he got this opportunity. What a way to go out before enlistment. Jin, we will be here when you come back. 💜

Red Hot Chili Peppers: 2022 Global Stadium Tour in Toronto at Rogers Centre

Went to see Red Hot Chili Peppers for the first time tonight at the Rogers Centre and it was fucking magical.

Red Hot Chili Peppers 2022 Global Stadium Tour at Rogers Centre
Red Hot Chili Peppers 2022 Global Stadium Tour at Rogers Centre
Red Hot Chili Peppers 2022 Global Stadium Tour at Rogers Centre
Red Hot Chili Peppers 2022 Global Stadium Tour at Rogers Centre
Red Hot Chili Peppers 2022 Global Stadium Tour at Rogers Centre

It was everything I expected and more. The setlist for Toronto was particularly spectacular:

1. Intro Jam
2. Can't Stop
3. Dani California
4. Universally Speaking
5. Here Ever After
6. I Like Dirt
7. Snow (Hey Oh)
8. These Are the Ways
9. Soul to Squeeze
10. Nobody Weird Like Me
11. Throw Away Your Television
12. Otherside
13. The Heavy Wing
14. Black Summer
15. Californication
16. Give It Away
17. Under the Bridge
18. By the Way

They played all my favourites — "Otherside," "Californication," "Under the Bridge," "By the Way," "Can't Stop," "Dani California" — mixed in with some newer songs and some insane string jams between Flea and John. This concert (and this tour as a whole, really) proved that the Red Hot Chili Peppers, a band that is older than I am, is still rocking as hard as ever and that these guys that are nearly 60 have some of the most incredible stamina I've ever seen. Honestly, it was just an honour to be in the same space as some of the most legendary rock musicians of all time.

J-Hope at Lollapalooza 2022: Full Performance

YES, THEY ACTUALLY UPLOADED THE ENTIRE PERFORMANCE!!! IN FULL HD GLORY!!! NO BUFFERING, NO SERVERS CRASHING!!!

I already wrote about his performance here, but basically: I AM RE-WATCHING THE SHIT OUT OF THIS.

BTS Permission to Dance: On Stage in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium, Day 4

Allegiant Stadium. 7:30PM PDT.

The final day of BTS' Permission to Dance: On Stage in Las Vegas. 

ARMY Bomb activated!
BTS Permission to Dance: On Stage in Las Vegas
BTS Permission to Dance: On Stage in Las Vegas — "ON"
BTS Permission to Dance: On Stage in Las Vegas — "Fire"
BTS Permission to Dance: On Stage in Las Vegas — Opening Ments
BTS Permission to Dance: On Stage in Las Vegas — "Blue & Grey"
BTS Permission to Dance: On Stage in Las Vegas — "Black Swan"
BTS Permission to Dance: On Stage in Las Vegas
BTS Permission to Dance: On Stage in Las Vegas
BTS Permission to Dance: On Stage in Las Vegas
BTS Permission to Dance: On Stage in Las Vegas — "HOME"
BTS Permission to Dance: On Stage in Las Vegas — Ending Ments
BTS Permission to Dance: On Stage in Las Vegas — "Permission to Dance"

Tonight's set list:

1. ON
2. Fire (Remix)
3. Dope
4. DNA
5. Blue & Grey
6. Black Swan
7. Blood Sweat & Tears
8. FAKE LOVE
9. Life Goes On
10. Boy With Luv
11. Dynamite (Remix)
12. Butter
13. Telepathy 
14. Outro: Wings
15. Stay
16. So What
17. IDOL
18. HOME
19. Anpanman
20. Go Go
21. Permission to Dance

Thank you, BTS, for another spectacular concert that I'll never forget.