CTD E&M’s five-member girl group, Loossemble, welcomed fans from across the US as they re-introduced themselves on their first tour together. Stemming from the portmanteau of assemble and LOONA, their previous group, the name represents the idea of returning as one. However, their overseas-focused debut oversold the idea of this reformation. Not only has the journey been tumultuous between the members and their previous agency, but interest in LOONA has been fractured. Although both MODHAUS and CTD E&M have worked to retain Orbits’ attention and energy by tapping into the lore inspired by LOONA’s discography, this has yielded mixed results.
Still, the eight-stop tour across the US reignited support for the possibility of the 12-member group coming back together. Yet, with less than half the original lineup, there was little chance any stop would sell out the large venues that LOONA performed at last year. Due to concert cancellations for both the Denver and Reading stops, fans were worried that the rest of the tour was also at risk. Complaints on high ticket costs and a questionable setlist casted doubt on whether the once robust “stan LOONA” energy would fill up the venues. As the Saturday night Kia Forum sat half empty on the floor and a complete ghost town on the second floor, it’s a wonder why their promoter didn’t choose a smaller venue.
Worries were first dispelled when the group released their self-titled EP, Loossemble, which gave fence-sitters seven tracks to latch onto. But with the release being less than 30 minutes of runtime, the Loossemble U.S. Debut Ceremony would need more activities to fill the two-hour event. Starting off with “Real World” and “Strawberry Soda,” the show had already gone through one-third of its setlist. Noticeably, they replayed the entire music video for “Sensitive” as they went offstage to give the crew time to transition. Given how little line distribution some members received in LOONA’s title tracks, there should’ve been more focus on each member’s underutilized talent. A large portion of the show was taken up by photo and talk segments, which mainly recapped their Instagram feed and seemed to drag on. The time would have been better spent on showing fans never-before-seen skills.
The dance cover segment was clearly the most popular aspect of the show outside of their new songs. Fan cheers filled the Kia Forum as the quintet danced to “So What,” “Paint the Town,” “Hi High,” and “Why Not.” Even though they aren’t allowed to fully perform their previous discography due to legal issues, covers and remixes are standard practice at any rookie showcase. After they were given a second chance at life onstage, the five members were likely just as eager to show off their seven years of hard work. The crowd had the chance to see choreography for other tracks on Loossemble’s latest EP, but they were rather simple and not as complex as “Sensitive.” Disappointingly, the synth-pop social hit, “Newtopia,” only received a standing mic singalong without a single dance break.
Needless to say, there were several missed opportunities with their production. Their concert wardrobe consisted of three different outfits, with two being the bright, youthful ones from their recently released music video and EP album cover. Compared to the alternative outfits worn during their October 10, 2023 Seoul concert, which focused on an elevated, sophisticated look, the quirky US debut tour attire was in stark contrast. An interesting aspect they could’ve taken from LOONA’s blueprint is the introduction of temporary subunits or solos, which could show the audience unique interactions between the performers they haven’t seen yet. Despite the attempt at presenting each individual member’s preferences and personal trivia, the energy (and interest) within the venue was low overall.
Perhaps, one day, the 12 members may come together again. But the chances are becoming slimmer and slimmer as each member moves forward with their own career. In a world of abundant and non-stop K-pop group tours, fans are even pickier with the groups they can support as they have limited time and money. Between the divided efforts to keep the LOONA name alive through Loossemble and Odd Eye Circle/ARTMS, Orbits are left exhausted with these opportunistic attempts to maintain the waning fandom. Thus, many decided to skip the Loossemble debut tour.
Click on the photo below to view our photos from the show:
