After years of anticipation, Taemin has finally embarked on his first headlining U.S. tour, and I had the privilege of attending the New York City stop of the Ephemeral Gaze tour at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn. This wasn’t just another K-Pop concert—it was a masterclass in stage presence, artistry, and the kind of star power that few can pull off so effortlessly. Taemin could have easily done multiple nights at this small theatre given the demand, so it was a privilege to be in the room with my fellow TAEMates and SHAWOLs!
Before the show, I attended soundcheck and was lucky enough to be escorted backstage to meet the man himself. Taemin was friendly, shy, and humble. And of course, I had to take the chance to fanboy a little and tell him just how much he and SHINee mean to me. To finally see him in person after following his career for so long was surreal. I made sure to mention that "Lucifer" was one of the catalysts for my interests in K-Pop, which he was surprised and happy about.
Even before the show started, the energy in the theater was electric. I was in the press section, and some of the people around me weren’t too familiar with Taemin’s solo work. But by the third song, they were fully converted into TAEMates. That’s the power of his performance and presence - it’s undeniable.
One of the things that struck me the most about this concert was how perfectly curated the setlist was. The different acts highlighted Taemin’s range as an artist, shifting between intense, ethereal, smooth, emotional, and sexy moments with ease. He also made sure to include not only his biggest hits, but fan favorites. After having watched so many performances of tracks like "Heaven" and "Goodbye" on YouTube, getting to see those in person was a bucket list moment.
The ballads were also perfectly chosen - from the beautiful "I'm Crying" to the haunting "Clockwork".
With a crew of female dancers, Taemin hit every move with precision, and his lines were exact. As a dancer myself, I couldn’t help but watch in awe—the control, the fluidity...it was mesmerizing.
And then there’s that indescribable “IT” factor. The kind that Britney, Janet, and Usher have—once the music starts, he doesn’t just perform, he becomes a STAR. He’s known as K-Pop Jesus, after all.
Beyond the performance itself, the fans made this show feel even more special. The NYC SHINee fan team organized a singalong to "I Think It's Love" before the encore, creating a truly beautiful moment where the entire theater came together. They also handed out banners and hearts for fans to hold up at specific points during the show, making the experience truly special for the fans and Taemin himself.
There were too many standout moments to name, but if I had to pick one that completely floored me, it would be "Criminal" - specifically with the live band mix. I was watching with my mouth wide open the entire time. I hope he tours with a live band next time, it would elevate the whole show even more.
I left Kings Theatre that night feeling grateful—grateful to have finally experienced Taemin’s artistry in person (not counting the one song he got to perform solo on SuperM's tour), grateful for the community of fans who made it feel like a shared journey, and grateful that this won’t be the last time. Because if this tour proved anything, it’s that Taemin is in a league of his own. He should be playing Madison Square. Garden next time.
I can’t wait to see him again—both solo and, hopefully, with SHINee very soon.
Setlist:
Deja Vu
Guilty
Advice
Goodbye
IDEA
Heaven
I'm Crying
Clockwork
Not Over You
The Unknown Sea
Blue
G.O.A.T
The Rizzness
Sexy In The Air
MOVE
WANT
Criminal
Horizon
Danger
Crush
Hypnosis
Say Less
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On April 19th, Webster Hall was filled with “FLO Lifers” eagerly awaiting the UK girl group FLO who are currently embarking on their “FLO Live” tour. Formed 2019, FLO consists of Jorja Douglas, Renee Downer, & Stella Quaresma. The group’s style distinctly derives from R&B and Hip-Hop from the 1990’s and early 2000s. For a more in-depth analysis FLO’s sound and trajectory watch here (https://youtu.be/i18hpBoW4EU)/ <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i18hpBoW4EU" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Before FLO took the stage, Samaria, an Oakland R&B singer, opened the show. Samaria started with a simple backdrop featuring her name, keys, and drums. The audience seemed familiar with her music and if they were not, they were supportive and living in the moment. Samaria interacted with the audience well and related to them on the basis of terrible ex's and a journey through a toxic relationship. Samaria’s songs had interesting cadences, but what was missing for us was backing vocals on the track to delineate verses from choruses. After doing some research we found that the “Out of the Way” singer has a sound also inspired by 00s R&B, with a some tracks tracks full of fun guitar licks and drum patterns reminiscent of Timbaland, but none of those instruments were present in her performance. Her backline consisted of a keyboardist and a drummer. Although Samaria sounded good, at times the keyboard’s volume was overpowering. She worked the stage, nonetheless and good job. 7.5 out of 10 ! ()SCORE
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https://www.instagram.com/samaria/?hl=en
Next up was the much-anticipated FLO, and the girls opened with "Not My Job." They were all dressed in black with cute cutouts, and their outfits were shimmery (I love sparkle!) which was a welcome change from their wardrobe at the MOBO awards. Their faces were beat (we love a “natural glam”),
their vocals were tight, and their choreography was utilized well to highlight grooves. The chemistry between the girls was undeniable, and their vocal blend was seamless— absolutely chill-inducing. Jorja's thick vocal tone took the songs to a soulful place, and Stella's airy delivery allowed her to float at the top of the group's harmonies. Renee's smooth, warm alto voice added a coolness to their sound and gained a lot more stability in live singing. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention FLO’s band! The band consisted of some past schoolmates, which added another layer of charm to the whole set!
The absolute highlight of the show was "Losing You” In this live arrangement, the girls emoted and connected with the audience on a deeper level. Chris loved harmonized adlibs, brand new bridge and extra outdo including a guitar solo. As a special treat, FLO performed a cover of Jamelia's version of "Superstar" by Christine Militon. Even though a majority of the NYC crowd had no clue who Jamelia was and didn't know the song, the girls did teach the chorus before singing the song, so some fans were able to follow along. Chris and I certainly knew the song and even received compliments on synchronized impromptu choreography.
Speaking of choreo…
The girls' choreography was something we were curious to see, and they did not disappoint. They danced well, and they were given grooves as opposed to sharp movements that really complemented each member's personal style. In terms of technique, they aren’t K-pop idols so we weren’t expecting crazy formations and “point dances,” but you can tell they put in the work to provide another layer of entrainment to the experience. There was even some chair-ography for their performance of "Change," a new track about a lover's inability to "do the work" necessary to improve the condition of the relationship.
The girls did perform their latest single, "Fly Girl" ft Missy Elliot, and although Missy Elliot was present in the audience, she did not join the performance.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/flolikethis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@flolikethis</a> big up to Flo out here in the states on the road working hard! Keep doing yall thizzzzle!!!🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flygirl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flygirl</a>💇🏾♀️💃🏾💅🏾 <a href="https://t.co/Qtgr2f2KBl">pic.twitter.com/Qtgr2f2KBl</a></p>— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) <a href="https://twitter.com/MissyElliott/status/1649101483621728272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fans (the FLO Lifers) were absolutely living their best lives! They knew all the words to FLO’s songs—the BGV's and the ad-libs. It was a room full of genuine love and screams! FLO closed the night with their debut single, "Cardboard Box," and this performance featured a heavenly bridge section.
Overall, the show was good, and for this to be the group's first headlining tour, we were impressed with the girls’ improvement from performances like the MOBO Awards, where nerves played a noticeable factor. FLO is worth the hype for sure, and we cannot wait to see the new era of girl groups being led by FLO. For their NYC debut, we rate them a 9 out of 10! FLO Lifers left Webster Hall with unforgettable memories and high expectations for FLO's future performances.