Seven-member girl group XG landed in San Francisco to perform a two-night show at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on their first ever world tour. In theme with XG’s wolf-alien concept, fans, known as ALPHAZ, came dressed in style, with many wearing wolf and space-inspired attire. Ahead of the show, lines were long at the merch booths as ALPHAZ eagerly stocked up on goods, from rocket-shaped lightsticks and cosmic tie dye shirts to special XG Tamagotchis.
Like aliens arriving on Earth, XG touched down onstage with an impactful entrance. Dressed in striking variations of metallic silver and white fur outfits and futuristic visor sunglasses, the group performed a rock rendition of “SHOOTING STAR,” oozing charisma while standing in a line across the stage. Sparklers lit up the stage each time the chorus came around, and the crowd’s screams grew with each burst. Even without choreography, XG gave the audience a lot to take in from their commanding stage presence to their ornate costumes, eye-catching hair styles and flashy nails. Not long after, the members removed their shades and dove into an energetic dance break paired with an intense light show. Reflecting the colorful beams of light, the metallic costumes added another dimension to the stunning visuals of the performance.
The group continued to build momentum, pulling out a slew of songs that showcased their tougher, hard-hitting music. Bringing out chairs to perform “GRL GVNG,” XG put their fierceness on full display, accentuated by the flashing red lights. Once the familiar erhu instrumental of “WOKE UP” began playing, the venue erupted in cheers and chanted the group into the fiery rap verses. A crowd favorite of the night, this performance highlighted the group’s confidence and swagger as they captivated the audience, which transformed into a synchronized pack bobbing to the beat. Taking things back to the very beginning, XG sang their debut track, “Tippy Toes,” showing how they’ve refined this performance over their two-year career. As the song goes, “Understand that we didn’t come to play, babe / Here to dominate,” the group made it known loud and clear they were here to put on a show to remember.
Moving onto solo performances, each member showed off their individual styles. The rapper line– COCONA, MAYA, HARVEY, and JURIN–went first, performing their verses from GALZ XYPHER and XG TAPE #4, before coming together for their “Trampoline” cover. Considering how viral GALZ XYPHER went online, it was a treat to hear it live in full force. However, it felt a little bit like a drive by with how short each member’s performance was; unfortunately, the audience didn’t really get enough time to get fully immersed before it was already on to the next member.
Next up was the vocal line–JURIA, HINATA, and CHISA–who really had the opportunity to shine that night, performing concert-exclusive covers. JURIA soulfully sang Mariah Carey’s “Without You,” pouring her heart into the song. As she flawlessly executed passionate belts and runs, listeners couldn’t help but cheer in appreciation. Then, HINATA switched it up with her clear, sweet vocals for her cover of Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me.” She simply radiated so much cuteness that the audience was throwing endless hand hearts up in the air for her. Fitting for a NorCal show, CHISA paid homage to Keyshia Cole with an emotional performance of “Love.” Immediately, the crowd joined in to sing along the whole song. CHISA demonstrated impressive vocal control, repeatedly nailing the iconic riff and adding her own dynamic spin to the song. Engaging the audience, she looked out into the crowd, waving, blowing kisses, and even getting down on one knee in classic R&B fashion. Rounding it all off, the trio came together to perform Destiny Child’s “Say My Name,” a classic that earned screams of recognition. Referencing the original choreography, the vocalists ignited nostalgia within the venue, inspiring attendees to groove and jump together with no inhibitions.
Returning as a whole, the group appeared in leather trench coats to put their vocals front and center for R&B tracks, “LEFT RIGHT” and “WINTER WITHOUT YOU.” After showing off their individual color in solo performances, they flexed their ability as a full group, delivering rich and layered harmonies. With modified choreography for “LEFT RIGHT” that accentuated the swishing of the long trench coats, attendees could see glimpses of the colorful attire beneath, hinting at what was to come next.
Signaling a change in style, the ceiling camera showed the members lying in a circle on the floor to perform “HESONOO” and “X-GENE.” While short, it’s a fantastic performance that showcases XG’s range through soft and fluid movement to ambient sounds before abruptly switching to powerful rapping and intense moves to a drill beat, raising the energy back up.
In bold multi-colored glittery outfits, XG took extra to the next level. It’s hard to pull off such outlandish outfits, but they wear it so naturally that they make the unconventional look so fashionable. Jumping right into it, they thrust the crowd into their fun pop tracks like “TGIF” and “SOMETHING AIN’T RIGHT” Making full use of the wide stage, the members strutted their way while serving sass to the audience. What really made the concert was how much the members were clearly enjoying themselves on stage, which had everyone feeding off each other’s positive energy and turning the whole venue into a dance party. To end the night on a high note, XG returned in tour merch for a feel-good encore of “NEW DANCE” and original version of “LEFT RIGHT.” Confetti fluttered all around, as XG said their heartfelt thanks and goodbyes.
In bold multi-colored glittery outfits, XG took extra to the next level. It’s hard to pull off such outlandish outfits, but they wear it so naturally that they make the unconventional look so fashionable. Jumping right into it, they thrust the crowd into their fun pop tracks like “TGIF” and “SOMETHING AIN’T RIGHT” Making full use of the wide stage, the members strutted their way while serving sass to the audience. What really made the concert was how much the members were clearly enjoying themselves on stage, which had everyone feeding off each other’s positive energy and turning the whole venue into a dance party. To end the night on a high note, XG returned in tour merch for a feel-good encore of “NEW DANCE” and original version of “LEFT RIGHT.” Confetti fluttered all around, as XG said their heartfelt thanks and goodbyes.
From their enthralling performances to their infectious energy and out-of-this-world style, XG established themselves as a supergroup on the rise. The concert setlist smoothly flowed through the group’s diverse discography, giving fans something to enjoy from various genres and ultimately, showcasing the group’s talent as all-rounders. As XG continues on their world tour, or perhaps better put as alien takeover, San Francisco is now another conquered city to add to their list.
