[INFO] It's Just the Beginning: JYJ concert review

[INFO] It's Just the Beginning: JYJ concert review 

~ Thursday 2nd, December 2010 ~

In October, JYJ started off their first world tour, and after traveling all over Asia, the trio completed their third and final leg of The Beginning showcase tour in Los Angeles on November 19. Some complications cropped up along the way -- they were unable to get working visas to perform in the US -- but the group decided to proceed with their American showcase anyway, and to get around regulations, they put on free shows for their fans.

The Los Angeles showcase was scheduled to start at 8:30PM, but enthusiastic fans began lining up at the USC Galen Center from as early as 9AM. Moreover, fans from foreign countries such as China and Mexico traveled to California just to witness and cheer on JYJ on their first world showcase tour. Fan group DBSKnights even prepared free red glow sticks for all concertgoers in order to create the "red ocean" -- which is the group's representative color, a way of showing fan support for JYJ.
MC Shane Yoon and Arden Cho opened up the show with a brief introduction and short video, before JYJ slowly appeared on separate stage lifts. Starting off with their catchy dance song "Empty," the trio immediately got the audience on their feet with their powerful vocals and sharp choreography. They followed up with the edgy and sensual track "Be the One," driving fans wild with their suggestive lyrics. The group then slowed the tempo down with their tender pop ballad "Be My Girl," singing behind microphone stands. Wisps of smoke covered the stage floor adding to the dreamy, romantic atmosphere.

In order to give the crowd a chance to cool down, the group left the stage and played two videos: the first featuring the members writing messages to the fans on glass and the second presenting their album and showcase preparations. Both MCs appeared on stage, Shane dressed in JYJ member Jaejoong's furry vest performing his own special rendition of "Empty" (which was arguably good). He also joked that "JYJ" may soon become "JYJS," with Shane himself as their additional member.

Soon after, JYJ returned to the stage with new outfits for a short Q&A session with the MCs. Each member introduced themselves in English, and Junsu did not forget to mention his signature "Oh my god sun" phrase. They covered a number of topics, ranging from the group's pets to their Twitter accounts to "Micky Christmas," a funny video that JYJ made during their time in the US. Also, there was talk that the Twitter user behind elbowyeish, a close friend of JYJ who hides his identity as an egg, was supposed to be revealed. Instead, they just brought an actual egg to the stage and played with it.

Resuming the concert, JYJ began with "Found You (찾았다)," a sweet Korean ballad track featured on JYJ member Yoochun's (Micky) recent historical drama Sungkyunkwan Scandal (성규관 스캔들). With its softer instrumentals, "Found You" especially showcased JYJ's vocal talent. The trio then picked up the pace with their title track "Ayyy Girl," another beat-inducing dance song. Fans screamed in excitement upon recognizing the opening and sang along. Yoochun also covered Kanye West's rap portion, causing the audience to cheer. As JYJ performed, confetti and streamers were shot from stage cannons, decorating the entire venue. JYJ then finished up with a remix of "Empty," and the showcase ended with the new "Ayyy Girl" music video playing onscreen. Although the concert was over, fans, still basking in JYJ's ambiance, could not seem to leave the Galen Center. JYJ had impressed the audience with their energetic performance, powerful vocals and hard-hitting choreography, but they left the crowd wanting more.

While the trio was successful in giving the audience a taste of what they have to offer, a one hour showcase is frankly not enough. With more time, the group could interacted with the fans more. After the showcase, JYJ returned to Korea to prepare for their first official concert, but soon they will be back in Los Angeles to film the music video for "Empty."

JYJ may have wrapped up this tour, but their overseas performances are far from over -- in fact, it's just the beginning.

Source: HERE
Credits: Mai Nguyen @ AsiaPacificArts
Shared by: DBSKnights + RedOcean5