Photo credits to Crypto.com Arena.
K-pop icon G-DRAGON lit up the night, closing out the U.S. leg of his world tour Übermensch. Fans lined up in all directions for merch, photos, and meet-ups, dressed in various fits from the iconic lightstick to the artist’s different fashion eras.
The night opened with stunning visuals of art pieces, nature, and short phrases such as “become who you are” or “humankind is small compared to nature.” Roars erupted from the crowd as red filled the stage and G-DRAGON, donned in a jacket full of roses and a red crown, started his set with “POWER.” The song marked an explosive beginning with lasers, backup dancers, and a live band to bring the fire to the stage.
Taking off his crown, the soloist brought fellow BIG BANG members TAEYANG and DAESUNG to life on the big screens to perform their hit single “HOME SWEET HOME.” Screams traveled through the venue as fans stood and danced, celebrating the mini BIG BANG moment on stage. Following ground-breaking performances of “MichiGO” and “ONE OF A KIND,” G-DRAGON took some time to welcome fans to the Los Angeles stop before smoothly moving into fan favorite “CRAYON.”
Accompanied by another video and laser light show, G-DRAGON came out below the stage with soulful performances of “BONAMANA” and “Butterfly,” before easing into groovy dances with “I Love It” and “Who You?” Hyping up the crowd with classics “Today” and “Crooked,” the soloist showed his own playfulness as he danced with the moving cameramen, even going off the stage to interact with fans up close.
The stage went black shortly after the sweet fan interaction moment, and the large screens began to show old videos of the artist’s past while “A Boy” played in the background. This small piece of quietness allowed fans a moment to reminisce about G-DRAGON’s coming-to-be as the video clips from the past took everyone on a trip down memory lane.
Moving back to the present, the soloist reappeared in a white suit and hat, performing “Heartbreaker” with award-winning beatboxer WING, “BULLSHIT,” “TAKE ME,” and “TOO BAD.” With musical references from Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” and the iconic guitar performance from Prince, the night boomed with cheers, claps, and a wave of colorful lightsticks.
Even when he wasn’t performing, G-DRAGON connected with the audience through various mediums. Throughout the show, videos played and expressed the message of growth and living for oneself with visuals of art and nature. He also took the time to send his gratitude to those at the concert, teasing about BIG BANG’s upcoming 20th anniversary and how the group can “finally drink” and “go to the club” as they enter Korean adulthood.
With a breathtaking performance of “DRAMA,” G-DRAGON continued into an encore with an iconic cover of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” The artist displayed his closeness and casual relationship with his fans, dressed loosely in a robe and jeans and with loving songs like “This Love,” “IBELONGIIU,” and the beloved “Untitled, 2014″ to end the night.
Despite his eight-year hiatus, G-DRAGON showed the power of his artistry on stage through powerful visuals and iconic songs for fans to enjoy. Throughout the night, he also reminded everyone of us humility, never failing to thank the audience for coming to the show. The legendary artist talked about his journey in K-pop, and seeing how the genre now garners lots of love, he hopes to continue that through the generations.
“Let’s make K-pop a generational movement” were simply words, but his show was proof that he’s here leading the way.
Written By Guest Contributor Katie Nguyen
Edited By Ephney Tsai
The post [K-Exclusive]: G-DRAGON Takes Over LA with Two Nights of Concerts appeared first on The latest kpop news and music | Officially Kmusic.
