Korean rock band Xdinary Heroes embarked on their first stateside tour three years after their debut under JYP Entertainment’s sub-label, STUDIO J. Dubbed Xdinary Heroes Showcase in USA [Troubleshooting], the tour’s first stop was in Koreatown Los Angeles, at the historic venue, The Wiltern. The band held a two-night show in the city, and the first night saw a theater brimming with passionate fans, known as Villains.
As the music began to fade away and stage lights began to flicker, each band member made their way to the stage, one by one. When the final two members, Gaon and Jooyeon, stepped up to their microphones to scream a gleeful greeting to the audience, the music started immediately. The concert kicked off with “Boy Comics,” a track mentioned several more times throughout the concert. After one of Jooyeon’s lines, the crowd simultaneously screamed a loud “HOO!” – a tradition the band requested fans to maintain. Next up was “Break the Brake,” followed by an intense performance of “Hair Cut,” which was paired with all red lighting to emphasize the vigor of the loud rock music.
Taking a quick break to introduce themselves, the group thanked fans sincerely for being present and for helping their dreams come true. “I have a personal connection with the U.S.,” leader Gunil began. “I spent my childhood, teenage years, and college years here. Though I wasn’t in LA, I did visit before, and I’ve always dreamt of performing here.” After the short and sweet sentimental moment, it was back to the music with “KNOCK DOWN,” “Strawberry Cake,” and “Paint It.” During “Strawberry Cake,” another tradition from the band’s live shows was upheld when Villains in the crowd sang the second chorus instead of the members themselves. Wanting to hear the crowd’s singing a little clearer without their in-ears, Gunil requested attendees to sing it once more, much to the members’ delight. Jungsu was particularly enthralled, bouncing in place with a big smile on his face. “As expected, LA is amazing, and you guys are the best.”
After performing “MONEYBALL” and “Money On My Mind,” the latter of which featured an impressive guitar solo from Jun Han, the band took another short pause to speak to Villains once again. Jun Han gave another performance of his solo, and Gunil followed with a drum solo, earning cheers from the crowd. The energy had certainly hit a high, and it didn’t go unnoticed by the band. “You guys are crazy, you guys are insane, and you guys are so, so wonderful,” began Jungsu, “but please let us change the energy for the next few songs, as they are songs I really wanted to sing here.” This led into the uncontested highlight of the show, where the members took a break from the louder, more raucous rock music to slow things down.
This section began with “Good enough,” a song based on a poem Gunil wrote when he had a broken heart in college. Contrasting the harsh red and blue lighting in the previous performances, this song featured a soft yellow glow instead, and the performance moved many to tears. Next was “until the end of time,” which Gunil later described as a song about the sadness of spending time with loved ones knowing it won’t last forever. To represent this nuanced sorrow, the song was paired with a soft light blue, and the screen behind the band played the translated English lyrics for fans to follow along.
Finishing off this section was “Dreaming Girl,” a track encouraging a girl who felt lost to continue dreaming as the band would be by her side. This song was accompanied by a beautiful animation in the back to portray the dreaming girl’s story. If fans didn’t already shed a few tears during “Good enough,” this performance was the tipping point for others.
Reflecting on their performance of “until the end of time,” Gunil shared, “The song is really sad, but while I was playing it right now, the thought came to me that, if there’s something I could have that lasts forever, I’d wish it could be this moment with you guys.” Basking in the moment once more, the band requested fans sing “good enough” one more time, enjoying hearing Villains’ voices. O.de kept things light-hearted, joking that the crowd sounded even nicer this time as the “good enough” lyrics were in English, while Jungsu emphasized his care for their fans: “I saw a lot of you crying. I just wanted to say that yes, you can cry, but you can’t be hurt, okay?”
After the heartwarming segment, it was time for the band to wrap up the show. Xdinary Heroes brought the energy levels all the way up again, performing “Little Things,” “AGAIN? AGAIN!,” “PLUTO,” “Sucker Punch!,” “Freakin’ Bad,” which featured the iconic lyrics “if you seek it, why owe you?” and a serenade of the second chorus from Villains to the band, and “LOVE and FEAR” before they exited the stage with a grateful shout.
While other artists use the pre-encore time to show fans behind-the-scenes footage or continue their lore, Xdinary Heroes simply put on some of their music over the speakers and dubbed it “Villains’ Time,” so fans could quickly grab merchandise, refill cups, or head to the restroom without fear of missing anything. Returning back for their encore, the band members walked out with their lightsticks to perform “Test Me,” “Bicycle,” “Happy Death Day,” and “Bad Chemical” before officially ending the show. Sharing their final thoughts that were full of gratitude, love, and care, the group made sure fans knew to stay happy and healthy, and made promises to return again, as long as Villains would remember to shout “HOO!” during “Boy Comics” during their next visit. The show came to an end smoothly, and Xdinary Heroes even treated all attendees to a hi-bye wave session after the show, regardless of ticket tier.
Xdinary Heroes put on an engaging show, with nothing to “troubleshoot,” as the band was at home on stage and performed each song with a cool confidence. Throughout the whole show, the band interacted with fans, making the show just as much about their music as it was bonding with their fans. After all, Heroes can’t exist without their Villains.
