Almost exactly a year after their last world tour, Act: Sweet Mirage, K-pop superstars TOMORROW X TOGETHER returned to Crypto.com Arena on May 21 for their third world tour, Act: Promise. This set focused primarily on darker concepts for the group, a sharp contrast to the bubbly, bright concepts they debuted with — a turn they recently made with their last two album releases.
With 20,000 fans eagerly awaiting their arrival on stage, the arena was buzzing with excitement. The group members suggested a dress code for this event by requesting that fans wear white and blue and accessorize with ribbons. When I arrived at the venue, I was met with a sea of white and light blue outfits with bows on practically everything. I was following the dress code too, sporting a white butterfly dress with silk ribbons in my hair, on my lightstick, and on my bag. Fans’ outfits did not disappoint, and even the freebies and goodie bags I was handed were on theme.
This performance really showcased TXT’s musical development and the maturity of the members and their audience. The members (Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Hueningkai) noted during their opening remarks that the goal for this concert and the tour overall was to “keep their promises to their fans and stay connected together forever,” and that their vibe this time around was focused on “maturity, teenage angst, and rebellion,” themes their setlist definitely reflected.
I was surprised to see a lot of older songs on the setlist accompanying their newer releases. “New Rules” and “Puma” were added to the lineup, which are both songs that discuss themes of rebelling against authorities, perfectly complementing their newer tracks of a similar nature such as “Growing Pains,” “Quarter Life,” “Good Boy Gone Bad,” and their iconic songs “LO$ER=LO♡ER” and “0X1 LOVESONG.” Following these with “The Killa” and “Tinnitus” reeled in the more mature concept, too, showcasing a more seductive side of the group — a fan favorite proven by the loud screams. All these tracks together made them more alternative and rock-leaning rather than the normal energetic or peppy concepts one would expect from a K-pop concert.
This isn’t to say that there weren’t any bright or heartfelt additions to the setlist. Fan favorites such as “Sugar Rush Ride,” “I’ll See You There Tomorrow,” and “Cat and Dog” encouraged fan singalongs and dancing along with the members. There were also more sentimental tracks like “Ghosting,” “Magic Island,” “Dreamer,” and “Trust Fund Baby,” which made me and the fans around me shed a few tears. To round off the already-diverse setlist, the members included some tracks dedicated to the promises they have made to the fan base such as “MOA Diary,” “I’ll See You There Tomorrow,” and “Miracle.”
I really enjoyed the variety of this setlist. Having a variety of song concepts and also including tracks across their discography’s history made the set not only enjoyable for newer fans but also full-circle and meaningful for longtime fans such as myself. There were also a lot of fan interactions, and the members even surprised us with a bouquet they got for fans graduating this year. The members also made it a point to constantly go to all sides of the stage to be as close to fans on every side of the arena as possible. These moments made the 20,000-capacity arena feel more intimate as they tried their best to close the gap between fan and artist, wanting to foster that connection they promised at the beginning of the set.
Although the concert itself was enjoyable, I had a few gripes with the event organization. TXT has been one of my favorite groups for the past five years, and although I was excited for the concert, I cannot deny how disorganized the event was. There were chaotic lines that led to nothing, no merch tables outside, poorly-run merch tables inside, and an uncharacteristic lateness to everything that upset a lot of fans. Security delayed letting VIP sections in by so long that they almost missed soundcheck, and general admission — the group I was in — was let inside half an hour late, leaving virtually no time to get merch. Once we got inside and managed to grab some merchandise, the concert was almost starting, and we had to run to our seats in a panic so we didn’t miss the opening.
As a longtime fan and previous concert attendee for TXT, this event exceeded my expectations, despite the chaotic event planning. The setlist was incredible, and there was not one song that I could not resist singing, dancing, or crying to. Fan adherence to a dress code, active participation, and the little interactions between fans and artists really made the experience unforgettable. I cannot wait until I see them again for their next tour.
Image courtesy of USA Today
