Christmas 2019 came early for The B this year as, on the 18th of December, The Boyz had their debut concert in the UK.
The O2 Forum, Kentish Town was the penultimate stop on the groups Europe leg of their “DREAMLIKE” tour. Named after the mini album they released in the summer, the tour was like a dream to all of the fans as they got to dance to their favourite songs, marvel at the groups talent and meet their idols.
The Boyz opened their concert with their debut song ‘Boy’. From the first note, the crowd exploded in a roar of screams for the group as they mesmerised their audience with perfect vocals and impeccably executed dance moves. Suited in daring black outfits paired with slogan t-shirts that were reminiscent of ‘Right Here’ era while also showcasing the darker image of the group that has emerged from their most recent single ‘Tattoo’.
The Boyz debuted on December 6th 2017 with 12 members and have been consistently producing upbeat hits for their fans to dance to and enjoy. The now 11-member group have displayed their playful, cute side in many of their songs but, as the members get older, their music seems to be morphing into a more mature sound as they experiment with different styles.
They celebrated their 2nd anniversary with fans at the concert by thanking them for their support and performing an a cappella snippet of their special anniversary song ‘White’ which put the crowd in a Christmassy mood as it samples melodies from ‘Feliz Navidad’.
Despite their young age when they debuted, The Boyz have impressed fans with their undeniable talent. This was evident at the concert as they performed energetic and skilful dance routines and their live vocals sounded as good as their do on the CD.
However, there was one member who was unable to showcase the best of his abilities. Younghoon had to spend the majority of the concert sitting on a chair to the left of the stage as he’d injured his collarbone and wasn’t able to dance along with his fellow members. The vocalist still awed the crowd with his smooth but powerful singing and the fans gave him lots of love as they were grateful he was able to participate at all.
The group maintained the energy for their next few songs as they performed their big hits ‘Right Here’ and ‘No Air’. The energy rippled through the crowd as they sang along and cheered for their favourite members.
The Boyz are known for their covers of their sunbae’s songs (especially their version of The Boys by SNSD), so the crowd went wild as they lit up the stage with a cover of BTS’s ‘Fire’. Their fiery attitude heated the room as they whipped around the stage performing the aggressive dance moves and the crowd screamed the chorus’ lyrics.
After the cover, half of the group left the stage to get changed while the remaining members talked to the audience. The audience struggled to stay quiet out of excitement, but listened to the group chat and thank the fans for being there. As The Boyz have three English-speaking members, they were able to talk to fans easily.
The group returned in more flamboyant, colourful outfits to perform more of their songs. They slowed it down to perform their non-title tracks ’36.5° (Melting Heart)’ and ‘Lucid Dream’. The Boyz arranged themselves into two rows, the first were sat on stools and the rest stood behind them. The simple staging with aesthetic orange and pink lighting allowed the beauty of the melodies and the meaning of the songs to shine through as the audience enjoyed a more intimate experience with the group. With Younghoon seated in the middle of the front row, it was heart-warming for fans to see him perform normally with the rest of the group.
The relaxed staging didn’t stay for long, however, as The Boyz returned to their lively, cute performances with ‘Only One’ and ‘Text Me Back’. The beats so contagious that the fans could not resist dancing to warm themselves up on the cold winter night.
Before the next song, Q took the time to teach the crowd the dance for the chorus and asked them to perform alongside the group. The upbeat and summery ‘Bloom Bloom’ started and the audience danced along while singing the lyrics creating an undeniable atmosphere of joy and unity.
As the group moved onto the laid-back guitar riffs and impressive high notes of ‘Keeper’, it was obvious how well thought out and even the setlist was. The energetic hits that The Boyz are famous for were nicely dotted throughout the concert to keep the audience excited and anticipating their favourites. But, the slower moments of the show allowed for the group to showcase their excellent vocals.
The group changed once more to perform the final few songs ‘Giddy Up’ and ‘Clover’. Dressed in their tour t-shirts, the group ended the concert on a high by sending the crowd hoards of love and attention. They promised the fans that they would come back and told the crowd of their wish to someday person at Wembley Stadium.
