NOTE: All photos are copyright of JYP Entertainment
What do you think Canadian reactions were when K-pop girl group TWICE (consisting of Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu) announced a stop in Toronto as part of their “Ready to Be” tour? Their fan club, called ONCE, and their fans ONCEs have been eagerly awaiting another tour and this one, finally reaching Canada, checked all boxes. Of course, the show at the ScotiaBank Arena sold out immediately. So quickly that the group added a second show! Gone! Fans started lining up at the venue early in the morning just so they could have first access to event only merch, knowing that the Candybongs (TWICE’s official light sticks) would go quickly.
With an hour to go before showtime, you could already feel the atmosphere of pure excitement in the venue. When JYP ads hit the side video screens, fans exploded in cheers just at the presence of their favorite bands on a monitor! When the lights dimmed and huge videos proclaimed the band and the Ready to Be Tour, the crowd went nuts, light sticks and cell phones cameras in hand! The stage setup was incredible, made up of multiple LED screens that provided a seamless view of the colorful visuals. Pyrotechnics heralded the end of the introduction and the rise of TWICE from beneath the stage as they kicked off the show with an English version of “Set Me Free”. One thing I found interesting was that there was a videographer on stage with them for part of the song. You would think they would already have plenty of video of them performing these songs and I’m not sure the videographer would have added anything. I guess each performance could be slightly different and, when you’re looking for perfection, repetition is the name of the game.
TWICE’s performance was an exhilarating journey through their extensive discography. The members executed intricate choreography (memorized and copied by many ONCEs) while delivering lovely vocals that resonated throughout the entire venue. With their bubblegum pop music and eminently cute image, this tour seemed to introduce a bit more of their sex appeal. The audience obviously ate that up and fans of all sexes were seen cheering (and crying) to every gyration. The show also showcased solo performances by each of the members, some performing their own songs (Chaeyoung on “My Guitar”, Jihyo on “Nightmare”, and Nayeon on “Pop!”) and the rest performing covers. It was nice to see each girl with a different vibe and making the song their own. Standouts included Jeongyeon covering Lizzo’s “Juice” and whipping out a recorder mid-song. Surprising and amazing! Momo’s pole dance during her cover of Beyonce’s “MOVE”, while not the greatest pole dance shows her dance versatility.
There were breaks throughout the set where TWICE spoke to the crowd, about how they loved performing in Canada for the first time, about how they visited Niagara Falls the day before, and always showing the fans their love and encouraging them to sing and dance along. All the dialogue was in Korean but the translations were so flawless and seamless that I could have sworn that the translator was on stage! Besides the constant cheering and screaming that is typical with concert audiences, this was my first time experiencing the “k-pop bark”, a “hoo hoo hoo” type of sound that North American audiences have somehow started to use to greet their favorite k-pop acts. The member of Twice, obviously use to it, took it all in stride, especially Dahyun, who seemed to egg on the crowd for more!
As was typical for a TWICE show, during one of the breaks, an announcer asked everyone to get up and dance for the Fan Cam Dance Challenge. As the chorus of various songs would play, cameras would focus on one or two fans and they would perform the associated dance moves. It was wonderful to see ONCEs have so much fun with it. One thing about k-pop, fan engagement is a big focus and the bands and productions really know how to make sure their fans have a great time!
If you follow TWICE, you know that they bring out a roulette wheel and spin to decide which encores to play. For this evening, “Like OOH-AHH” was the first and, instead of spinning for the second song, they played “Celebrate” based on audience reaction. The group didn’t actually sing during the encore, rather spending most of their time, engaging with their fans, waving, throwing kisses, and accepting gifts. Their interactions heartwarming and left everyone feeling included and appreciated.
I hadn’t known what to expect when I attended TWICE’s show as it was my first k-pop experience. I had expected the whole show to be lip-synced due to all the dancing. However, it seemed to me that perhaps two thirds of the show were lip-synced and the girls sang live for the other third. A few times during the live performance, the sound mix seemed a little off, either vocals too low (on “My Guitar”) or too loud (on “Juice”). It was also funny how, during “Queen of Hearts” and the medley, the girls were not only wearing their headsets but also had handheld microphones. Does that mean that the headsets don’t actually work? It’s not clear. All that being said, the concert was an electrifying and unforgettable experience and TWICE really delivered a show that will not soon be forgotten. On their Discord server, many ONCEs are already lamenting their PCD (post-concert depression). The group has really cemented their place amongst the top k-pop acts in the world!
Setlist
1. Set Me Free
2. I Can’t Stop Me
3. Go Hard
4. More & More
5. Moonlight Sunrise
6. Brave
7. Try (Colbie Caillat cover) – Dahyun solo
8. Done For Me (Charlie Puth cover) – Tzuyu solo
9. New Rules (Dua Lipa cover) – Sana solo
10. MOVE (Beyoncé cover) – Momo solo
11. 7 Rings (Ariana Grande cover) – Mina solo
12. Feel Special
13. Cry For Me
14. FANCY
15. The Feels
16. My Guitar – Chaeyoung solo
17. Nightmare – Jihyo solo
18. Juice (Lizzo cover) – Jeongyeon solo
19. POP! – Nayeon solo
20. Queen of Hearts
21. YES or YES / What Is Love? / CHEER UP / LIKEY / KNOCK KNOCK / SCIENTIST / Heart Shaker
22. Alcohol-Free
23. Dance the Night Away
24. Talk That Talk
25. When We Were Kids
26. CRAZY STUPID LOVE
Encore
27. Like OOH-AHH
28. Celebrate