BM “After The After Party” Takes L.A. Behind Closed Doors
All images captured by Bella Lee
The stage lights dimmed and the crowd erupted. Soon after, a single figure emerged from the wings, jumping out to a waiting crowd. BM rises, instantly capturing the attention and excitement from the audience. He begins his first solo tour with intense energy and owns the stage with every fiber of his being. After a few songs, he told the crowd that performing in L.A. is like coming back to a familiar place. As fans know, BM is originally from L.A., and there is something about an artist coming to their hometown that brings a special crowd and a new energy out.
The setlist maintained a very robust and 2000’s-inspired RnB sound. BM opened his tour in L.A. with “Lowkey,” from his 3rd Digital single. A popular choice amongst fans, it brought out the energy needed to continue the remainder of the set. The first three songs (“Lowkey,” “Embers,” and “Nectar”) created a mature and fun spirit for BM to greet his audience. His next songs brought the audience to their knees. On top of the dynamic pieces such as “Bad Intentions” and “Motion,” BM also brought out a more emotional side with “Lie” and “Broken Me.” Closer to the end of his show, BM surprised fans with a guest appearance from Woosung (from The Rose). They performed a cover of “CWS” together, bringing the excitement to an all-time high. He closed the set with “13IVI,” which the crowd loved. His encore featured “Lowkey,” and a second round of “Motion” (as chosen by the audience).
This tour takes a much different approach to concerts, where the audience is required to be over 21, phones are restricted, and all experiences are designed for a mature crowd. Konnect’d Entertainment spearheaded this momentous adults-only tour and could not have chosen a better artist. BM’s tour included songs from his L.A.test EP, Element. It was the perfect introduction to an unfiltered concert for the kpop community. BM is a member of the South Korean K-Pop group known as Kard (the longest active co-ed group), who have recently explored a more adult sound. He is the perfect choice to headline an adults-only U.S. tour. As the first-ever 21+ K-pop concert unfolded, it marked a shift in the K-Pop audience. With attendees seasoned by both time and taste, BM had the opportunity to free himself of the restrictions that come with a younger audience. During the show, he was able to bring a few choice audience members up on stage to compete in a twerking competition. He even had the freedom to perform his own version of the challenge after the competition was complete thanks to the phone-free environment.. All in all, this adults-only concert was a masterful move and is promising for the future of the genre as well.
My personal favorite from the setlist was “Body Movin” (from The First Statement). He looked like he had a blast on stage during that song. He was able to simply enjoy performing and soak in the excitement of his fans. BM stopped to take in the crowd and remark, “It just hit me, this is the amount of people who have shown up to Kard concerts. Thank you all for coming and supporting me.” It was very impressive how much control BM had over the crowd, as he had no backup dancers or other group members to help maintain the crowd’s engagement. His presence on stage was all that was needed to bring a fantastic opening show.
As he closes his first solo tour this week, BM has yet again proven his undeniable talent and magnetic stage presence. He will be leaving the audience electrified and drawn to his intoxicating stage presence. Fans who have experienced this tour left with unforgettable moments, unfiltered memories, and a performance that blew the roof off the venue.
