The Warfield show began with the sound of crashing waves and droves of smoke rolling off the stage into the cheering crowd. The tour, aptly titled Voyage Into X, seemed to perfectly represent the long journey it took for the band to make it out to San Francisco for their first ever show, bringing over 15 years of discography.
Taking the audience back to the 2010s, the band opened with a slew of thumping songs, “In My Head,” “Where You Are,” and “I’m Sorry.” The venue was filled with drumstick-length blue light sticks that fans waved enthusiastically to the beat. Rather than easing into the show, the trio was amped and raring to go with lead vocalist/guitarist Yonghwa unleashing vocal fry screams all throughout these songs. Meanwhile, bassist Junshin bounded all around the stage and although drummer Minhyuk remained in the back, he certainly drew attention with his vigorous drum playing.
Diving deeper into their discography, Yonghwa cheekily said, “You’ll know this next one for sure.” Performing their hit debut song, “I’m a Loner,” CNBLUE had fans screaming in recognition at the first few notes. To contextualize how successful their debut track was, the band earned their first music show win in roughly two weeks, quickly capturing the interest of domestic listeners at record speed and making their names known early in their long career. Continuing down memory lane, the trio played “Love.” The bounciness of the cheery track had the crowd on their feet and singing along to the catchy lyrics.
Midway through the show, the band decided to give the audience a “wake up call” with rousing performances of “Coffee Shop” and “Wake Up.” Just like the lyrics, Yonghwa invited the crowd into the “coffee shop” to enjoy their time together to the fullest, joys, worries, and all. CNBLUE seamlessly transitioned into an energetic 10-minute performance of “Wake Up” that exhibited the trio’s playfulness, as they jammed out and called the fans to “wake up.” Each time it seemed like the song would end, the band would gear up once again into the chorus and engage the crowd in a call-and-response challenge, continually upping the difficulty. The song came to an explosive finish, as Minhyuk beat the drums in a rapid flurry.
Swapping his guitar for a digital piano, Yonghwa sat underneath two spotlights to perform “To. My Love.” Crooning the sad love song, he touched listeners with his yearning yet hopeful delivery of the lyrics about sending a loved one away and wishing them happiness with someone else. Moving into “Then, Now, Forever,” the band performed the track about the challenging and lonely days of trying to get over a breakup. The most emotional songs of the night had fans attentively listening, while cheering in appreciation during the quiet moments of the songs. “Thank you for being with us in the past, now, and forever,” said Yonghwa.
Reminiscing about their short time in San Francisco, Yonghwa mentioned eating crabs while playfully singing a revised version of “Love,” to which the crowd joined in: “Love, love, love, everybody crab, crab, crab. I want San Francisco crab.” The band even recounted their time eating Trish’s Mini Donuts at Pier 39. “That was crazy. That was bussin, for real. This is facts. I love that donut, chef’s kiss,” said Yonghwa, flexing all the latest English lingo he knew, and the audience cheered in delight.
Looking into the crowd, Yonghwa asked, “I’m finding my Cinderella. Where is my Cinderella?” Before jumping into the first verse of “Cinderella,” the lead singer deftly flipped his microphone. With no guitar in hand, he was free to groove across the stage, lock eyes with fans, and dance with them. Not only did he encourage the audience to jump along, Yonghwa held his mic out for Minhyuk to sing a few lines and cheered Jungshin on, spotlighting his bass playing at the front of the stage.
Returning for an encore, the band appeared in tour merch with Jungshin enthusiastically asking, “Shall we go all the way together tonight, San Francisco?” Getting back on the keys, Yonghwa played an improv serenade to San Francisco: “Oh San Francisco, you have stolen my heart. Oh San Francisco, thank you for all the love.” Before moving into the first encore song, he serenaded one last line, “Oh San Francisco, I can’t stop loving you,” which had fans screaming in anticipation. For “Can’t Stop,” they peppered San Francisco all throughout the song, making it feel all the more personal and special to fans. Easily, it was the most memorable performance of the night, as CNBLUE was all smiles, radiating adoration for the passionate crowd. While it was a feel-good song, the lead singer came in with one last surprise, a sudden elongated note that stood out as the other members ceased playing their instruments to let his voice ring throughout the venue. Pleased with the audience’s reaction, the singer had total control of the venue as he motioned with his hand for fans to cheer for the band in order to continue the performance. This was just one of the many instances of Yonghwa’s masterful showmanship, being so natural and at ease on the stage while effortlessly charming the crowd and making attendees part of the show.
After performing “Forever Young,” the band treated the lucky San Francisco audience to an extra encore song since it was the final night of the tour. One last spurt of smoke spread across the stage, as the trio performed “You’re So Fine.” CNBLUE wrapped the night repeating the words, “Love is you,” while pointing and blowing kisses to the crowd. “You’ll stay in our hearts forever! Dream of us, San Francisco!”
Click on the photo below to view our photos from the concert:
