ONE OR EIGHT performed at the Los Angeles’ Echoplex for the final stop of their SHŪKAI North American Fanmeet Tour. Although the group nearly greeted the audience as “New York” in the beginning, they certainly remembered LA by the end of the evening because of the crowd’s warm welcome and passionate cheers.
Known for their hip hop inspired tracks, the group put on a show full of impressive performances. Despite the small stage and venue, the members flipped and did acrobatic tricks with ease amid executing sharp and hard-hitting dance moves. Their first set of performances — “Don’t Tell Nobody,” “KAWASAKI,” SOUMA’s “Cash In Cash Out” cover (originally by Pharrell Williams), and NEO’s “99 Problems” cover (originally by Jay-Z), — focused on their rapping skills primarily, as each member showed off their own unique styles and tones. NEO said it best in his changed lyrics for “99 Problems”: “I got 99 problems, but my flow ain’t one.”
Then, the group’s vocalists took center stage for the next set of songs. “Spellbound” kicked off this vocal-centric section, with TSUBASA’s high notes during the final bridge truly captivating the crowd. TSUBASA continued to show off his vocal prowess with his cover of 5SOS’ “Youngblood,” and the other vocalists were up next. YUGA impressed with “Honesty” by Pink Sweat$, smiling as he smoothly sang the sweet lyrics to fans, and REIA rounded things out with LAUV’s “Never Not,” a stage that featured a single chair on stage and dramatic spotlights and lighting to pair with the emotion he carried through his voice.
Showing their gratitude to fans for joining them on their first tour, ONE OR EIGHT also prepared several special segments, ranging musical performances to Q&A and games. The group prepared unit stages — one for the vocalists and one for the rappers. Songs such as “My Lil Heart Attack,” “Wanna Be with You,” and the aforementioned “Spellbound” made their way onto the setlist, though they have yet to be released officially. Regardless, fans sang along, and when they didn’t know the lyrics, they continued to show their support through loud cheers instead.
For the games segment, they played while competing as Team Pizza and Team Hot Dog. They started with a game to see which team can kick a soccer ball the most without dropping it, followed by a game of charades. For the winning team — Team Hot Dog — their reward was taking a group photo with the audience, to which the crowd cheered. The silly and lighthearted games gave the group another opportunity to connect and interact with their fans.
Ultimately, what made the show most memorable was the group’s eagerness to interact with their fans in these casual ways. During their first Q&A session, upon mentioning enjoying a visit to the beach, a fan in the crowd yelled the first line of NICKI MINAJ’s “Starships.” Rather than ignoring it and moving on, the members eagerly sang the song back to the audience, setting off an impromptu sing-along session that ended with the line, “we’re higher than a motherfucker.” This was just one instance of the group matching the raucous audience’s energy, as they maintained a friendly vibe throughout the whole night.
Showing off their versatility, talent, and playful personalities all show long, ONE OR EIGHT brought the night and tour to a close with some sentimentality. “Performing in front of you all like this really allowed us to reflect on our journey and past experiences,” the group began as they earnestly expressed their gratitude to their fans. “If you guys continue with this crazy energy, we will definitely be back soon.”
Click on the photo below to view our photos from the concert:
