The quartet, consisting of leader WooSung (lead vocals, electric guitar), DoJoon (main vocals, keyboard, acoustic guitar), HaJoon (drums, sub-vocals), and JaeHyeong (bass, sub-vocals), performed tracks from their first studio album “HEAL”, as well as old favorites, such as ‘Sorry’ and ‘RED’. Despite being apart for two years for mandatory military service, the group didn’t miss a beat. “When we were doing that [catching up], we found out that the reason that we started The Rose,” WooSung explained, “The main message was healing together, healing with music. That’s why we called this [album] “HEAL”. We had things to heal by writing this album. We had things to overcome on our end and we just hope we can share this with you guys and our amazing Black Roses.” The band’s set kicked off with a slow triplet of songs – ‘Definition of ugly is’, ‘Insomnia’, and ‘She’s In The Rain’ before picking up with WooSung’s own ‘Modern Life’. The group’s bouncy indie pop sound carried through the venue with the tempo picking up with an ode to WooSung’s home state of ‘California’, ‘I Don’t Know You’, ‘Candy (so good)’, and its 2019 hit ‘RED’. Each member was surprisingly adept at switching between instruments throughout the band’s set, switching between electric and acoustic guitars. Bassist JaeHyeong instantly connected with the crowd with an impassioned rendition of ‘See-Saw’, showing off his surprising vocals and falsetto. Fans, many of who spent up to nine hours in the rain to ensure they had a barricade view of the band, went wild each time JaeHyeong sang in a breathy voice. Despite some technical issues, the group climbed down to the edge of the stage for its morose and sorrowful single ‘Childhood’. “Staying up late at night,” Woosung sang, “imaging all kinds of settings.” Yet, the song’s message is clear — people should not waste time or have regrets — which is the reason why it was selected as the pre-release song from “HEAL”. It was easily a highlight for the show and its attendees. Unfortunately, the group’s next few songs ‘Shift’, ‘I.L.Y’, and ‘Time’ struggled to reach the same emotional high as ‘Childhood’. Despite this, the crowd cheered with every high note and at the end of each song. The band then turned it up, abandoning its instruments, and danced on stage to ‘Yes’. The sheer joy on each member’s face during this song was infectious and reinvigorated the crowd. “Seeing you guys right now reminded me of the old days when we first started our band,” WooSung said after finishing the song. “We could never play a venue like this. Back then, nobody knew us, so we were out in Hongdae, giving out these candies and begging people to come to our show. So, coming from that and seeing you all here, it’s such a beautiful moment for us.” Launching into their breakout hit ‘Sorry’, it was easily understood how it was named one of Billboard’s Best Korean pop songs of 2017. Each member was able to show their individual talents throughout the song with each contributing vocals. Drummer HaJoon kept the group together with a powerful backline on the drums. Fan favorites ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Cure’ led into the final song ‘Sour’, the group’s most recent single. After many cheers and a wardrobe change, The Rose finished the night with the meaningful and emotional ‘Black Rose’. The Rose is an amazing pickup for Far East Movement’s Transparent Arts label. The HEAL TOGETHER World tour continues in cities throughout North America, South America, Europe, and Asia until 2023 and will serve as a great reintroduction of the group after its hiatus from touring. Kpopmap received a photo and review ticket from The Rose’s label Transparent Arts. It did not influence the coverage of this concert.
Exclusive Review: MIK (Made In Korea) Festival in London 2022 REVIEWS|Aug 4, 2022 Exclusive Review: Hwang InYoup Fanmeeting In Singapore REVIEWS|Aug 3, 2022 Exclusive Review: Dreamcatcher At Anime Matsuri 2022 REVIEWS|Aug 3, 2022 Exclusive Review: AleXa Shares Her Favorite Music Video Shoot, Spoils Her Next Comeback, And More In Q&A Session In Grand Prairie REVIEWS|Jul 27, 2022
