(x)clusive!: Get Overdosed with EXO
When SM Entertainment announced that EXO will be holding their first solo concert, ‘EXO FROM. EXOPLANET #1 – THE LOST PLANET’ in May to celebrate their 2nd anniversary, there is no way to deny this boy group’s explosive popularity as tickets were reported sold out in 1.47 seconds and they had to add a third night. The hype of this concert tour only grew when countries such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore were announced as additional tour stops during their Seoul press conference.
Having had the opportunity to experience ‘EXO FROM. EXOPLANET #1 – THE LOST PLANET IN TAIPEI’ on 11th and 12th July, all I could say is that this is definitely one event you would not want to miss. If you are still contemplating on whether or not to buy tickets for this concert, then you have to read on for reasons why you DEFINITELY have to catch EXO at their full-fledged concert!
SOLO STAGES
With an array of solo performances, be it Lay, Sehun, Xiumin, Luhan or Kai’s dance stages, Suho or DO’s serenade, Baekhyun or Chanyeol’s portrayal of their musical talents on the piano and drum set respectively, Tao’s Wushu routine and Chen’s rock number, there has to be something that will capture your attention.
Personal favourites: Xiumin, Baekhyun
Xiumin’s dance solo was beyond my expectations. Who would have expected the reserved Xiumin to be this fun-loving, expressive and playful during his dance segment? The cheeky element present, and the sexiness eluding from his body waves and butt shaking were indeed memorable.
It is almost impossible to resist a guy on piano, and Baekhyun definitely nailed it. Nothing more attractive than someone singing and playing a piano, serenading the crowd with his soulful voice. All eyes are undoubtedly on him during the short one minute stage – if only it could be longer.
STAGE PRODUCTION
Helmed by Dreammaker Entertainment Limited, the stage production for ‘EXO FROM. EXOPLANET #1 – THE LOST PLANET’ would definitely not disappoint. Having done previous stage production for SHINee Concert “SHINee World III”, Music Bank in Brazil, Super Junior World Tour ‘SUPERSHOW5’ and more, Dreammaker brings nothing but the best as they work alongside the stage directors to make this a one-of-a-kind unique experience for all concert goers. If you are looking for fanciful stage set-ups, close-proximity pyrotechnics and elaborate laser shows, then this is it.
INTIMATE EXPERIENCE
Stage Layout
What I really like about the stage layout for ‘EXO FROM. EXOPLANET #1 – THE LOST PLANET IN TAIPEI’ is how close the stage is to the audience. It does not matter if you are seated or standing, because you would still be able to see them rather clearly, especially when they are spread themselves along the extended area. This is definitely the advantage of a group with 11 members.
Surprises
Did I mention that I really like the stage layout? There is one particular thing I especially liked – the trap doors. It is always a surprise to see who pops out right in front of you, often at times when you least expected it. At one moment you may be seeing Xiumin, but half way through, it could be Kai instead.
Another memorable part was definitely when Kai and DO flew across the standing pens in basket-like-hammocks, looking adorable as they waved to the fans from all sides.
Do keep in mind that the solo stages are performed along the extended stage, so do choose carefully where you want to sit or stand so that you can see your favourite member.
Lucky Girl(s)
As a lead up to the specially prepared (and dorky) medley , consisting of hit tracks such as Sorry Sorry, Ring Ding Dong and Gee by their SM seniors, a lucky girl will be chosen from the crowd to receive the 11 members’ affections.
Want to receive a rose from the EXO members? Then be on the constant look out during the song My Lady as they will be walking around the stage and throwing roses to the fans. (A/N: Higher chance to receive one if you are in the standing pens!)
How can we forget Suho’s solo performance, where another lucky girl will be serenaded by EXO’s guardian angel, and have the opportunity to take a Polaroid and receive it directly from him?
Good luck to all, and may you be the LUCKY one.
HIT AND MISS
Familiar Title Tracks and the Not So Familiar Ones
Despite EXO having released only one full-length album and three mini albums, title tracks such as HISTORY, MAMA, Wolf, Growl and Overdose are definitely the songs to sing along and fan chant to, bringing the mood to an all-time high at the start and at the encore stages.
Having not been very familiar with the other songs of EXO, this concert made me notice the hidden gems. Have secretly liked ballads such as My Turn to Cry, Baby Don’t Cry and Moonlight all along, the songs that caught my attention instead were Black Pearl, Let Out The Beast and Machine, tracks that I would usually press next on my playlist. Fun-loving 3.6.5, XOXO, Peter Pan and Lucky are no doubt the crowd’s favourites, as we see a more playful side of the members. The highlight for me was unexpectedly Love Love Love, Thunder and My Lady, for reasons you should go witness yourself. So yes, this is a hit.
Korean and Mandarin Versions
The mash of Korean and Mandarin in one song could be really confusing at times. However, this is probably the most unique point of EXO’s concert, where they have full control on which version they would sing, making the audience anticipate with the different variations. Hard to decide if it is a hit or miss, so we shall leave it up to you.
Duration
The concert lasted for a little over two hours, and was really short in my honest opinion. The pace was decent, the flow was good, the audience were sporting, yet it ended all too soon, which was no doubt a miss. There were still songs (that fans were anticipating) that they did not perform. I guess having being spoilt by previous SM concerts (think along the lines of Supershow), the short duration was indeed disappointing.
Ment
It is always interesting to hear what the members have to say during the comment segment. Chanyeol no doubt caught my attention when he got emotional relaying his feelings with regards to the fan support event – the message support during Peter Pan and the fans singing before the encore stage. Seeing how the members appreciate the fans is always heartwarming.
The black horse was undeniably Lay, being all greasy with a bacon on top, when he expresses his feelings. The line of the day was definitely “你們是我的冰鎮凉茶, 因為這樣我才能把你們捧在手心~” (T/N: You are my (cup of) iced herbal tea. It’s only like this that I can hold you in my hands and pamper you~), which was immensely cringe-worthy and cheesy but cute nonetheless. And lastly, how can we forget Baekhyun and his signature “Kkaepsong~”, where the audience were enthusiastically participating in. So yes, the ment is definitely a hit.
SILVER OCEAN
One thing that will definitely take your breath away is the silver ocean. When the lights are dimmed as the concert starts, the glow from the light sticks formed a beautiful silver ocean, just like stars. The EXO members (especially Chen) have mentioned repeatedly that they like it best when they see the silver ocean and they gain energy from it. Isn’t that a good enough reason to be part of this ‘EXO FROM. EXOPLANET #1 – THE LOST PLANET’ concert?
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Are you sold in attending ‘EXO FROM. EXOPLANET #1 – THE LOST PLANET IN SINGAPORE’ yet? Which part of the concert are you looking forward to the most? Come share with us!
For the full details of ‘EXO FROM. EXOPLANET #1 – THE LOST PLANET IN SINGAPORE’, do refer HERE.
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