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Concert recap: BTS' 'Permission to Dance on Stage - LA'

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Anna Gabrielle Cerezo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="BTS" to="" Dance="" on="" Stage="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/life/12/08/20211208-permission-to-dance-on-stage-1.jpg"/><figcaption>BTS&#x27; &#x27;Permission to Dance on Stage - LA&#x27;</figcaption></figure></div>In 2014, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, roamed the streets of Los Angeles, hoping to convince bystanders to come to their free concert. About 7 years later, the septet returned to the very same city — this time, with tens of thousands of ARMYs, who flew from different parts of the world, in tow.Last November 27 and 28 as well as December 1 and Dec 2, the pop juggernaut headed to the SoFi Stadium for the Los Angeles leg of their latest tour &quot;Permission to Dance on Stage,” and performed for the very first time in two years in front of a roaring crowd.The return was bigger, better, and in the seven piece’s signature style — record-breaking.The sold-out show grossed around $33.3 million, marking the biggest US Billboard Boxscore in 18 years.According to Big Hit Music, the &quot;Permission to Dance on Stage- LA&quot; amassed an audience of about 813,000 with an estimated total of 214,000 concertgoers present over the four nights at SoFi Stadium, while 18,000 simultaneously watched the epic night at the YouTube Theatre.Given that mobility is still somewhat limited due to the ongoing threat of the new coronavirus, BTS also streamed the final day to accommodate the rest of their ARMYs across the globe, where an additional 581,000 fans tuned in.&quot;It feels like a dream,&quot; rapper J-Hope said during the forth day of the concert.&quot;To be honest, it has been two years since we met ARMY, I thought was there still going to be any left? But we received a lot of love. Thank you for loving us so much,&quot; V added.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="BTS" to="" Dance="" on="" Stage="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/life/12/08/20211208-permission-to-dance-on-stage-2.jpg"/></figure></div>BTS began cementing their legendary status when they made history when they broke the United Stats’ Asian pop celling by topping the Billboard 200 with “Love Yourself: Tear” in 2018.And while the Bangtan boys took their career up a notch amid the global pandemic that crippled the entertainment industry, the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic still deprived the band of what they have been best known for — delivering a memorable show of unrivaled caliber during their sold-out concerts.May it be in South Korea or a country thousands of miles away with an unfamiliar language, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, built a reputation for producing electrifying and euphoric live stage numbers.And after two years away and four virtual concerts pouring their blood, sweat, and, tears trying to recreate the vibrant atmosphere of their past shows in empty stadiums, BTS left no doubt they stil got it.<div>SET LIST</div>Similar to the online concert of the same name in October, the set list of the offline counterpart, which plucked songs from every BTS era, highlighted the diversity and emotional range of the South Koreans&#x27; rich discography.They kicked off the night with a thrilling rendition (complete with a live marching band) of &quot;ON&quot; from their 2020 full-length &quot;Map of the Soul: 7&quot; before segueing into a trap remix of their track &quot;Fire&quot; from their 2016 special album, &quot;Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever,&quot; which was then followed by swag-packed &quot;DOPE&quot; from the 2015 record &quot;Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 1.&quot;Several other old favorites got their spotlight too. And while some songs were brief, the seamless shift to the next track made the duration barely noticeable.&quot;Airplane part 2,&quot; &quot;Baepsae,&quot; &quot;DIS-EASE,&quot; &quot;Telepathy,&quot; &quot;Stay,&quot; and &quot;So What,&quot; for instance, was a literal breathtaking line-up.Jungkook opened the first track of the series of songs on a high note, and like the rest of BTS, maintained the quality throughout the set.The standout worthy of being mentioned, however, is the delivery of the rap line, consisting of RM, Suga, and J-Hope, which beamed the perfect mix of angst, swag, and charm.By &quot;So What,&quot; despite performing a series of songs, the members still managed to enthusiastically jump around the stage with the same energy they had at the beginning of &quot;Airplane part 2.&quot;When the group had to peel back to a more pensive mood for their more emotional pieces such as &quot;Blue &amp; Grey,&quot; &quot;Black Swan,&quot; &quot;Life Goes On,&quot; and &quot;Mikrokosmos,&quot; their stage presence did not waiver.BTS transformed their high-powered and pulse-pumping drive into an intimate and impassioned ethos. They held the attention of the crowd with every single note that they wrapped every with sincere intent to convey their feelings.&quot;Mikrokosmos,&quot; in particular, was among the most unforgettable numbers. The track, which was the very last song BTS performed on stage during their &quot;Love Yourself Tour,&quot; back in 2019, became the band and their fanbase&#x27;s song of hope amid pandemic.Thus, when their voices along with over 50,000 ARMYs, filled the enormous stadium, it felt like the culmination of the long-awaited and highly sought-after moment of relief both parties have been longing for.&quot;We were on a deep tunnel for two years. I had doubts why I’m doing this thing, I was afraid if we come back on stage, what if people don’t like us or felt like they were used to what if I got too old to do this to dance like when I was 23 or 25,&quot; BTS leader RM tearfully admitted during the concert.&quot;Through these four nights, my doubts have been blown away. My power has gotten stronger. I&#x27;ve truly become a stronger and better performer. So, I don’t know how much it will take to be back on this stage and do this thing in this crazy time, but I feel so blessed and grateful these four nights were so precious,&quot; he added.<div>PRODUCTION</div>May it be an online or offline concert, BTS never skimped on its production.From a giant LCD screen, light and pyro effects, talented back up dancers and singers, extravagant props, and slick outfits, BTS had it all.But perhaps the most enthralling production set was &quot;Black Swan.&quot; Picking up from &quot;Blue &amp; Grey,&quot; Jimin jumpstarted the symphonic intro of the track with a cinematic dance, along with numerous back-up dancers, who had sleeves adorned with feathers, mimicking the wings of a swan.He was eventually joined by the other members decked in edgy black fits as they hauntingly sang and mesmerizingly moved along the tune together, while black feathers littered the room.Several tracks got a remix, but the stand-out out of the night would be the funky and almost soulful rework of their 2020 disco-pop hit &quot;Dynamite,&quot; which the group performed with a live band (who even joined the choreography).As if the performance couldn’t get any better, BTS further fired up the production by adding a transition &#x27;as smooth as butter, like a criminal under cover&#x27; into the next song.The serotonin-boosting dance break BTS performed between &quot;Dynamite&quot; and &quot;Butter,&quot; proved to be a more than worthy routine for the band&#x27;s two biggest global hits.Even though the choreography barely went over half a minute, time seemingly stood still while the seven idols captivated the stadium (and the online viewers) with their synchronized and knife-sharp groove. Blinking almost felt like a crime during the production as each beat was packed with power and loaded with their alluring charisma.Although all the members delivered a jaw-dropping number, J-Hope exhibited with his every step, why he is the Bangtan boys&#x27; undisputed dance leader.<div>V&#x27;S COMEBACK</div>Due to a leg injury during the band&#x27;s previous concert in South Korea, Kim Taehyung, also popularly known as V, had to unfortunately beg off from BTS&#x27; complex choreography.Although he was nevertheless spellbiinding and never once looked out of place throughout the online concert, his return to the stage at the SoFi stadium demonstrated what ARMYs missed out on last month.V was the life of the party and the versatility of his stage persona shone. Whether he is edgy or cute, he inevitably caught the attention of the crowd by his endearing or tantalizing antics.The &quot;Sweet Night&quot; singer dancing with his team also amplified the group&#x27;s production tenfold — giving fans a delightful reminder that the unique and unparalleled stage presence BTS brings can only be conjured as a full set.Seeing members complete on the stage is a glaring argument of why &quot;BTS is 7.&quot;The format of the show highlighted how their distinct talents are factored in BTS&#x27; genre-defying formulaic pieces.As the concert dragged on through the night, it became obvious how each number was carefully produced — with every note, every adlib, every harmony, and every step well-thought-of, curated, and strategized meticulously.Unlike their previous tours, &quot;Permission To Dance On Stage&quot; had no solo performances. Thus, all seven members remain on stage throughout the night, with the VCRs or pre-recorded skits, as their only break.Despite an almost nonstop concert, BTS also managed to maintain the same caliber of showmanship from the first song to the last.While many of the tracks were a repeat of those they performed from the &quot;Permission to Dance on Stage&quot; virtual concert last October, the energy of BTS was on a whole new level, staying true to BTS leader RM&#x27;s confession that they indeed, drew energy from their fans.<div>ARMY&#x27;S MOON</div>Kim Seokjin, who popularly goes by the mononym Jin, shone as bright as the moon during &quot;Permission to Dance on Stage-- LA.&quot;Like fine wine, Jin, who is fondly called by ARMYs as their &quot;Moon&quot; after his solo song of the same name from &quot;Map of the Soul: 7,&quot; only got better in time.The version of Jin who stepped on the stage in Los Angeles is a far cry from the rookie who had little background in singing or dancing about a decade ago.Although the idol had audibly and visibly improved with every comeback, Jin, who exuded confidence throughout the show, has never embraced his persona as a member of the world&#x27;s biggest boy band, as he had during the in-person concert.Since the final day of the concert landed close to the birthday of Jin, ARMYs dressed their light sticks and cellphones with a cutout of the moon and turned the stadium into a sea of the celestial body.“I did not want to be moved too much because I did not want it to be affected too much for my performance... I was really surprised today,&quot; Jin admitted.Just when the concertgoers thought the epic night was over, Cris Martin, frontman of the British band Coldplay, climbed on the stage for a surprise rendition of &quot;My Universe.&quot;Martin playfully bounced around the platform with RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. And while the production was more casual compared to their performance during the American Music Awards, it served as a rousing reminder of what the song was about.The South Koreans jamming with the British star, genuinely enjoying themselves, was an embodiment of the togetherness Martin wanted to convey when he created the song.As BTS and Martin sang the last note of the pop hit, the group again gifted their fans with another unexpected treat, this time with an announcement they will resume &quot;Permission to Dance on Stage&quot; in March in Seoul.Unfortunately, there is a possibility the recent rise of the omicron variant could dampen the plans of the group to reunite with ARMYs.Nevertheless the members reassured fans that even if the crisis would continue to drag on, &quot;Permission to Dance on Stage - LA&quot; will not be their last show.&quot;We may be apart again so we performed tonight like it would be our last show. But I have a feeling we will be able to go on a world tour again,&quot; Suga enthused.&quot;In these four nights I promise I will even be better when I’m 30, 35 or 40. Thank you for being together with us, for being in this historical night for me,&quot; RM said.Although many things remain uncertain, as BTS left the stage one by one after the curtain call, their bittersweet farewell felt anything but final.

The sold-out show grossed around $33.3 million, marking the biggest US Billboard Boxscore in 18 years.

Concert recap: BTS' 'Permission to Dance on Stage - LA'

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Concert recap: BTS' 'Permission to Dance on Stage - LA'

Anna Gabrielle Cerezo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 08, 2021 06:10 PM PHT

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Updated Dec 14, 2021 09:17 PM PHT

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