Concert Review: TOMORROW X TOGETHER - 'ACT : SWEET MIRAGE' in New York

Hey, CCTV Crew!

I had the opportunity to attend TOMORROW X TOGETHER's "ACT : SWEET MIRAGE" tour in New York on May 10, 2023! Here is my unbiased review...

I am a big fan of TXT's discography overall - their sound has developed really nicely, and there are some major highlights throughout all the eras. The chaos phase with "0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You)" and "LO$ER=LO♡ER" is definitely my favorite chapter so far...but this group has so much potential and can't wait to hear what they do next! I was extremely impressed when I saw them at The Theater at MSG last year and also thoroughly enjoyed the livestream of their Lollapalooza 2022 set!

Before diving into the concert itself, let me take a moment to highlight the incredible experience I had at UBS Arena. Thanks to PR superstar Kerry, I had the opportunity to dine at the private UBS Club, and the food was simply fantastic. The signature Caesar salad was a refreshing start, while the sausage and broccoli ravioli delighted my taste buds. A luxurious start to the evening...and of course, we left with a plate full of desserts to bring to our private box seats!

✌🏼magical days with @txt_bighit & MOAs!

☀️💖 From the chalk art to learning choreo and making friendship bracelets together, we’ll always remember CAMP MOA. 😉#MOA #TXT #TXT_ASM_TOUR_in_NEWYORK #TXT_ASM_TOUR_in_NY #TOMORROW_X_TOGETHER #투모로우바이투게더 #ACT_SWEET_MIRAGE… pic.twitter.com/VL4TOsjWd2

— UBS Arena (@UBSArena) May 11, 2023

Moreover, UBS Arena and its campus provided an exceptional experience for fans. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement, and the venue went the extra mile to create a welcoming and interactive environment. Camp MOA was in full swing with vibrant chalk art adorning the pavement and friendship bracelet making stations. It was a testament to the dedication and thoughtfulness of both the venue and the organizers in ensuring a memorable experience for all the MOA and the reason why UBS Arena has quickly become my favorite concert venue in the East Coast!

Now, the concert! The setlist was an absolute treat, featuring some of TXT's greatest hits and exciting surprises that made the show very different from 'ACT : LOVE SICK'. It all started with an enchanting opening sequence (pun-intended!), where Yeonjun, Soobin, Beomgyu, Huening Kai and Taehyun emerged as princes in front of their castle. The energy was electric and "Blue Hour" was the perfect opener!

The excitement continued with crowd and group favorites like "Can't We Just Leave The Monster Alive" and "Drama", when the took off their jackets to reveal stylish jerseys. The cute basketball choreography was super effective and there was an effective transition into "No Rules". MOA were clearly hyped for the "Cat & Dog" performance (performed in English!) and Beomgyu noted that the fans really wanted to see this one live! The aegyo-filled choreography was fun, but I do wish they did a new mix that didn't have so much autotune.

This may be a good time to note that while the members were filling the arena stage well, I personally felt that the show would have benefited greatly from background dancers. TXT's choreography is largely focused on teamwork and intricate details, and having dancers to elevate that would have brought the show to whole other level. The members did a fantastic job though - their energy was at 100% the entire time, and I was impressed by how hard they were hitting all the moves while staying very clean.

Furthermore, following the fantastic addition of a live band for their Lollapalooza set last year, my hopes were high that they would bring a band with them for this round...but this wish was not fulfilled. The group played the standard instrumentals with VERY loud backing vocal tracks, and while there were moments of extra intros and dance breaks (like Keuning Kai's solo before "We Lost The Summer"), the show would have also been elevated by some new remixes. 

I loved the way the atmosphere shifted for "We Lost The Summer," one of my absolute favorites. Beginning "Can't You See Me" without any choreography was an interesting choice - this would have been a great opportunity for a haunting ballad version. However, the eventual fire that came pulsating out of the stage was pretty cool to see!

When the boys whipped out handheld mics for the next section, which included "0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You)" and "Dear Sputnik", I was hoping for rawer live vocals - but unfortunately, the backing track still overpowered the mics for the most part. From what I could hear, Taehyun is the clear vocal standout - amazing pitch and great texture. The grey convertible that was wheeled on stage for "LO$ER=LO♡ER" was fun, and the extended outro made me long for that band even more!

The members noted that "Opening Sequence" is a MOA-favorite, and so they added extra dance breaks for the intro, which were beautiful. The boys are fantastic dancers and this section, which also included the extremely weird (but amazingly performed) "Eternally", showcased their ability to execute more contemporary hip-hop dance styles. 

As the show progressed into its final section with newer tracks including "Tinnitus" (which should have been a single!) and "Devil By The Window", the members showed their potential as global superstars - there were sexy moments, dramatic moments, cute moments...and every member got a ton of cheers for every hair flip and smirk. Yeonjun and Soobin definitely seemed to be the most popular at this one!

"Sugar Rush Ride", the group's latest title track, has grown on me immensely as time has gone on. I was so excited to see it live - and the pounding bass didn't disappoint! If you'd like to listen to our review, definitely check out our episode of 'Is It Boppin'?' below!

Though the interactions with the fans were cute overall, a lot of those moments like the lightstick game and the "Happy Fools" dance challenge lasted way too long...but the MOA were of course loving every second. The final encore section included a cool set that fit perfectly with "Farewell, Neverland" and they even performed a new song that they wrote for the fans called "Blue Spring"! The song had a disappointing chorus (and  they really don't need all the autotune), but the sentiment was nice.

Overall, I had a great time at the show! It was a step up from the last tour and the set designers did a good job with the moving screens, the different types of confetti, lasers, sparkles and pyrotechnics. The story running through the VCRs was interesting enough to keep my attention, with images that were a vague blend of Disney princes, Harry Potter magic, House of the Dragon and Peter Pan.

Can't wait for the next show and comeback, boys! 

- Chris

Setlist:

1. Blue Hour
2. Can't We Just Leave The Monster Alive?
3. Drama
4. No Rules
5. Cat & Dog
6. 9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)
7. We Lost The Summer
8. Can't You See Me?
9. 0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You)
10. LO$ER=LO♡ER
11. Dear Sputnik
12. Magic
13. Opening Sequence
14. Anti-Romantic
15. Eternally
16. Good Boy Gone Bad
17. Tinnitus
18. Devil by the Window
19. Angel or Devil
20. Ice Cream
21. Happy Fools
22. Sugar Rush Ride
    ---
    
23. Farewell, Neverland
24. Blue Spring
25. Our Summer