Imagine, you've been standing in below freezing temperatures to see one of the very first concerts a band has ever had. You came alone and consider yourself lucky to find a few people that speak your language to hang out with. You finally make it into the venue. The pre-performance video plays. The lights come up.
The stage is empty.
A rumble begins as a rock instrumental plays. Bright lights overwhelm you. Then you see the first member walk patiently to his drum kit as the audience erupts. The lead guitarist follows from the other side of the stage. Next comes the bassist, the rhythm guitarist, the keyboardist, and the synth player.
What are the words that come to mind? Powerful? Confident? Audacious? Xdinary Heroes are all of that, and so much more.
On December 16th, Xdinary Heroes played their first ever concert to kick off their 3 day performance series. Luckily, I was able to attend their second night! The concert was absolutely amazing, but, before we dive into that, let's talk about how different Korean concerts are compared to the U.S.
First, everything was extremely calm. You pick your tickets up at a booth beforehand, and there is a merchandise tent outdoors. Then, you really just hang out until doors open. After you're inside, you're handed a few freebies from staff and find your seat.
Everyone is on their feet for the first few songs, but then the group motions for everyone to sit down. After the group gives a few welcoming speeches, they begin to play again. This is when things get interesting.
We stayed seated until the last few songs.
It's customary behavior here to only stand when the performers tell you to. Imagine how weird it is to be told when to stand at a rock concert. In some ways, it did help with taking in the moment. It also helped anyone recording any performances.
But, that was not allowed, so no one broke those rules by taking photos or videos inside the venue... Absolutely no one...
Anyways, there were many amazing moments, but there were specific highlights that I can't stop thinking about. One of them is the group's cover of Impossible.
This isn't the first time that the group has covered this song, but seeing it live is a completely new experience.
While the performance itself was strong, I am blown away with how healthy the vocalists are in this band.
There are glimpses of this in the original cover that the group posted, but to see the consistency follow into their live performances is really incredible. Their vocals were supported and executed beautifully. Their singing was conscious of trained technique, and it made the performance amazing.
In a similar vein, the group also performed a cover of Ghost of You.
They were actually recorded practicing the song in December of 2021, but this is the first time they've officially performed the song.
The practice can be seen in the video at 14:25. The video is good, but it's nothing compared to their recent performance.
Watching them sing this song live was nearly a spiritual experience. The main vocals were beautiful, but the harmonies made the performance stunning. On top of their talent, the members were also emotionally invested in the lyrics, and that alone took their execution of the song to the next level.
Speaking of next level, the members chose to do unit stages, and it was like entering a whole new concert.
Members Jooyeon and Gaon covered Justin Bieber and Kid Lario's song Stay, while Junhan and Gunil stuck to their rock roots with an instrumental performance. O.de and Jungsu paid homage to their idol trainee days by covering BTS' Butter.
Of course, the member's original tracks were also impressive. I mentioned in the album review for the group's newest release that Crack in the Mirror begged to be played in front of a live audience. I can confidently say I was right. The energy throughout this specific song was palpable.
Other favorites include the performances of Pirates and Lunatic. Of course, every song they was played deserves commentary, but that would be an overload of information.
There was also had a special stage where each member was given a solo moment within an instrumental performance. This was a great moment for all of the members, but I love that it really highlighted Junhan and Gunil.
As members that don't sing as often as the others, it would be easy for them to fade into the background.
Between the focused stages, and the fact that these two were put on a special platform so they could be seen throughout the concert, I really loved all of the steps they took to make sure that every single member was recognized.
They wrapped the concert up well with a cover of Jingle Bell Rock, that had the entire audience on their feet, and another performance of their debut single Happy Death Day.
All in all, there is so much to be said about the concert.
Everyone's talent was out of this world, and it was so refreshing to see a group that is so happy to be performing. As Xdinary Heroes continue to grow and mature, I'm sure they will become more confident and strengthen their stage presence.
With only a year between their debut and their first concert, Xdinary Heroes has experienced great things.
They continue to impress listeners all across the world, and their fanbase has expanded with every release they've had thus far.
In an industry that seems to have a revolving door of new artists and talents, it's safe to say that this group is determined to make their mark.
This is just the beginning for Xdinary Heroes.
Were you able to see the show? I cannot encourage you enough to see them if given the chance! Let us know where you want them to perform!
تعليقات