A Concert Review: BTS

Sounds | Danielle Linder

Walking past the crowded security lines I finally make it into the arena. The majority of the attendants are holding up their ARMY Bombs (lightsticks) excitedly. As I approach my seat, BTS music videos begin to play on the jumbo screens and the arena fills with screams. Everyone is singing along to the videos, waiting for the actual band to come on. After around 20 minutes, the arena goes dark and the screaming intensifies.

The seven member Korean boy-band pops up from below the stage to the beat of their latest single ‘IDOL’. I could feel the excitement flowing through the air; it was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. The group executes their choreography perfectly, with the fans’ ARMY Bombs lighting up in sync. It seemed as though what I was watching wasn’t real, that it was too good for real life. As I watched them hit every note with so much energy, I couldn’t help but think, “How are they going to do this for two and a half hours straight?”

After the first song ended, all seven members introduced themselves —  Suga, RM, Jin, Jungkook, Jimin, J-Hope, and V — each getting their fair share of screams from the crowd. The show continued as they played songs from their newest albums, the Love Yourself trilogy, as well as medleys of their older songs that included DOPE, Boys With Fun, FIRE, and more. The show was full of life, with each song accompanied by dance, lights, streamers and confetti.

It truly was very impressive. But what was most impressive and made the show so worth it, was the positive environment. This kind of positivity, happiness, and gratefulness was something I had never experienced at a show of this magnitude. The whole premise of the band’s discography, especially their latest release, is about being true to oneself and loving that ‘true’ self. And this message was strongly projected in the concert. The members were happy and positive, as was the crowd. It was as if the energy they were giving the crowd was being fed back to them by the equally energetic crowd. And as cliché as it may sound, it is true. Everyone left that concert feeling slightly better about themselves, a bit happier than when they entered, and possibly, more open to the idea of self-love. It was beautiful, insightful, fun, and truly worth the money. If I had to rank this concert out of 10, I would give it a perfect score on all fronts. It’s a production unlike any I have ever seen and has honestly set my standards a lot higher for other performers. So, if anyone is debating whether it is worth going to see this show, I can tell you, it is.