Taking Back Sunday‘s Adam Lazzara – photo by Charitie Myers
Taking Back Sunday and Citizen are still charging through the States, and the duo were in Seattle on June 5th. Lucky for us, Showbox SoDo had the Long Island headliners on stage! The rock quartet, who crashed a wedding last year, also released an album in 2023. Called 152, it received a 4/5 from Kerrang! Nice!
Olympia-based WINEHOUSE performed at Neumos last week. The high-energy band played a wide variety of genres – indie, rock, jazz, pop, funk – you name it! Fronted by core members Sarah Burke, Chivan Lim, Josh Hill, and Aiden Taylor, the band included to crowd’s delight, “Pretty Lips”, with its catchy saxophone solo, in their set. The popular song has racked up over 8M streams on Spotify alone.
Singer-songwriter Kacy Hill headlined at Barboza – the last show of her The Bug Tour. She was on the road in support of her new album, Bug, released last month. Backing Kacy were Val (drums) and Daniel (guitar, keys). Her very expressive performance also included some songs from her first album that she rarely performs onstage – a real treat for the audience. The former American Apparel model, whose childhood nickname was Bug, once considered becoming a software engineer … we’re glad she chose music instead.
Singer-songwriter UPSAHL is on tour with Madison Beer and opened at the Moore Theater over the weekend. She and her two-member backing band performed an enthusiastically-received set that included original material from her recent EP, Upsahl Presents: The PHX Tapes.
ITZY Dazzles Seattle Fans on North American Tour Opening Night
ITZY – Photo Courtesy of JYP Entertainment
June 6, 2024 — ITZY dazzled Seattle fans with the opening night of their 2nd World Tour, “Born To Be.” The sold-out show at the WAMU Theater was filled with MIDZY (ITZY fans) of diverse ages and backgrounds. Once again, Seattle solidified its reputation as a solid fanbase for K-pop music.
The two-and-a-half-hour show had fans on their feet almost the entire time, with short seated breaks to watch VCRs while members changed costumes and prepared for their next theme.
ITZY kicked off the show with their 2024 release title “Born To Be,” igniting the audience in loud cheers. The setlist was extensive, featuring new music and older hits for fans to enjoy. They performed all the new songs from “Born To Be” except “Blossom” since Lia is currently on hiatus.
The show was divided into four acts and an encore, each theme showcasing different aspects of the group and its members, from fierce and fiery to aegyo (애교), street-style dance, and solo performances. The group was often joined by an entourage of dancers who elevated the visuals and energy, providing top-notch entertainment.
The visuals were full of colorful imagery, ranging from fun and cute bright colors to darker, moodier tones. The digital backdrop alternated between colors, graphics, video, and live footage of the performers, helping those in the back of the venue feel up close to each artist.
A notable addition to this tour was the live band, allowing each vocalist to showcase their true talent with live vocals. This proved that not all K-pop performances are pre-recorded or lip-synced. The live music added depth to their sound, elevating the overall performance.
During one of the breaks, there was an interactive dance-off where fans in the audience were singled out and had a moment to dance on the big screen to different songs, sharing their affection for the band.
ITZY – Photo Courtesy of JYP Entertainment
The evening closed with each ITZY member thanking the MIDZY for their support over the years and celebrating Chaeryeong’s birthday, which was the day before the show. Everyone in the venue received an ITZY banner before the show, and the group posed for a photo with the audience, banners raised high. They concluded the show with “DALLA DALLA” and a final goodbye, accompanied by blasts of pink heart-shaped confetti and cheers from the audience.
ITZY’s North American tour includes ten dates, wrapping up on June 28, 2024, in Toronto, Ontario, CA. This performance is a must-see for those who love high-energy and great live music. Make sure to catch one of these shows to experience it yourself.
Setlist:
Act I BORN TO BE (Extended intro) RACER KIDDING ME Ment 1 Mr. Vampire SWIPE WANNABE (Extended dance break intro)
Act II (Solos) VCR Mine (Chaeryeong solo) Run Away (Ryujin solo) Yet, but (Yuna solo) Crown on My Head (Yeji solo, extended outro)
Act III VCR UNTOUCHABLE (Extended intro) Gas Me Up Dynamite Ment 2 Psychic Lover Don’t Give a What LOCO (Dancers extended outro)
Act IV Not Shy (Extended band intro) CAKE SNEAKERS (Chanting outro) Ment 3 Kill Shot Escalator (Extended outro)
Encore: MIDZY Encore VCR LOVE is Be in Love Ment 4 DOMINO (Seattle MIDZY Project) Boys Like You DALLA DALLA (Extended outro)
