K-pop girl group ARTMS held the opening show for the U.S. leg of their 2024 ARTMS World Tour <Moonshot> in New York on August 16. While the group’s subunit, Odd Eye Circle, toured the U.S. last year, this tour is the first time all five members performed as a group in the States.
The quintet entered the stage in darkness before being bathed in a dull blue light, as the screen displayed graphics of clockwork and cosmic renderings. The lighting combined with the background set the stage perfectly for their opening song, “Birth,” which features an almost unsettling and dramatic sound that makes it feel as if you’re experiencing something supernatural.
The concert was primarily a showcase of their debut full length album, <DALL>, which was released just a few months prior to the show. Following a brief introduction from the members, they continued on with songs from their album including, “Distress,” “Butterfly Effect,” and “Flower Rhythm.” Every song was accompanied by background animation and lighting that complemented both the mood of the song as well as the group’s choreography on stage.
After a short behind the scenes video, the group changed up the mood of the show with some solo and unit stages which hyped up the crowd. First to perform was HaSeul, who returned to the stage in a blue plaid top and a white skirt adorned with bows and plenty of frills. The first song she performed was “Plastic Candy,” HaSeul’s first digital single released under Modhaus. The city pop-influenced song was accompanied by a cute background graphic of store shelves that ended up filled with candy as candy rained down. HaSeul’s soft, airy vocals flitted about the jazzy instrumentals, creating a relaxing atmosphere. Following that she performed “Let Me In,” the title track of the first album she released under LOONA as part of the “Girl of the Month” project. From showcasing lighter vocals in “Plastic Candy,” HaSeul showed off more vocal power and control in “Let Me In,” nailing multiple high notes and transitions to and from low notes with ease. As HaSeul made her way off the stage, the background popped up with HeeJin’s name and image.
As HeeJin ran onto the stage with guitar in hand, she shouted, “Ok, let’s go!” right as the iconic instrumental and “hey hey you you” lyrics of Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend” started playing. Jamming out on her guitar, HeeJin embodied the pop punk style perfectly, with both her outfit and makeup inspired by Avril. Following the song, HeeJin took a moment to ask the crowd if they had girlfriends, after which she added, “No? Me too,” earning laughter from the crowd. The next song HeeJin performed was “Algorithm,” the title track of her first mini album released last October. The 80’s inspired track is pleasantly groovy and had the crowd bobbing along to the upbeat melody.
The three members from the Odd Eye Circle sub-unit took the stage next, performing their songs, “Je Ne Sais Quoi” and “Air Force One.” “Je Ne Sais Quoi” featured light and dreamy vocals from the trio against a hypnotic house track, which combined with the alluring choreo, made the performance all the more mesmerizing. “Air Force One” picked up the pace with dynamic percussion that punctuated the catchy chorus. The strength of this performance came from the combination of the group’s strong, confident vocals and sharp, energetic choreography.
JinSoul, Kim Lip, and Choerry were then joined on stage by HaSeul and Heejin before letting the crowd know that it was party time. As the lights came back on, the group covered Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” together while walking around the stage and interacting with the crowd. The group had been having some audio issues all night, but it was especially noticeable to them during this song as the group informed the audience that a different song was playing in their in-ears. This ended up working out well for the crowd as the group decided to perform “Cruel Summer” once more for the crowd.
Hinting that they were going to perform one of their most popular LOONA songs, one that was always requested by fans, the group performed “Stylish” next. This performance focused on vocals, as the members masterfully executed repeated vocal runs and high notes through the song. Keeping up with the LOONA songs, the group then performed “Satellite.” Contrasting “Stylish,” which showed off their vocal skills, the group performed a modified version of LOONA’s choreo for “Satellite.” The group showed off their synchronization, maintaining the sharpness of their moves while displaying a sense of grace that complemented the calm vocal tone of the song.
Changing outfits one more time, ARTMS returned to the stage dressed in matching pink dresses and skirts. The group then performed the rest of the songs on their recent album, starting with “Candy Crush,” a more relaxed city pop song with an accompanying nighttime cityscape scrolling in the background. Before reaching the end of the show, the group took a chance to bring out a cake and wish HaSeul a happy birthday and take a photo with the crowd. Rounding the night off, the group performed the title track of their album, “Virtual Angel.” Not forgetting the encore, the group came out one final time to perform LOONA’s “Hi High,” a fan favorite that sent the crowd absolutely wild as the girls walked the stage holding their lightsticks and taking photos with fans’ phones.
Some shows can feel like they’ve dragged on, while others feel like they flew by way too fast. As for ARTMS’ show, it felt like it was the perfect length from start to finish. The setlist was a great mix of both their new music and solo/sub-unit music, as well as older LOONA songs to fill in the gaps and bring back some memories of days past. While small venues often host shows with smaller productions, ARTMS brought their A game. The high production value elevated the show, as the background graphics enhanced the atmosphere in the venue. All in all, the five-member group gave fans a great show despite periodic audio issues.
Click on the photo below to view our photos from the concert:
