A screaming good time was had by all
BTS takes the boyband concept to another level
Boybands have been a staple in the pop music business since the Beatles hit Ed Sullivan’s stage. We’ve seen them come and go ever since — the Monkees, the Jackson 5, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, One Direction.
With the exception of the Beatles, there was always something formulaic in their conception, achieving the right balance of personalities, the right look, perhaps even a positive message to convey to their media-stoked fans.
With the help of a dazzling array of technology, that formula has now been perfected in South Korea. That perfection was displayed in spectacular fashion Thursday night at Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre by Korean pop sensation BTS.
Everything about BTS is perfect — the hair, the complexion, the clothes, the choreography, those irresistible pouts.
It was almost as if the seven members of the group were cartoon characters come to life — RM, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, Jungkook, Jin and V.
Although relatively new to North America, BTS — a Korean acronym for Bulletproof Boy Scouts — has been together for five years. Its seven members are schooled singers, dancers and actors, all in their early 20s, who play their roles with nuance and precision.
It’s up to the fans to pick a favourite and scream loudest whenever he cracks a smile or throws a kiss. At times it seemed like a competition — which band member could produce the loudest screams.
Thursday’s two-and-a-halfhour concert — the first of three sold out BTS shows at FirstOntario Centre — was a masterpiece of choreography and control. (Image control is especially important — audience members were forbidden from taking videos and The Spectator was denied permission to photograph the concert.)
Each member of the band was given a solo spot to showcase their individual talents. I liked RM’s tough-guy rap routine during “Trivia: Love,” and V’s sultry dance, Fred Astaire-style, with a wardrobe stand during “Singularity.”
The group numbers like “MIC Drop,” “DNA” and “So What” were all possible showstoppers, featuring some nifty synchronized dance steps and vocals. The laser light show, at times, could be overwhelming.
The solo spots and group routines were divided up by five video intermissions, allowing for multiple costume changes and stage resets. Judging by the scream levels, the audience seemed to like the videos as much as the live performance.
BTS fans are perhaps the most loyal in all of pop fandom. They knew all the lyrics, even the Korean ones and, in between screams, sang along.
Despite the screams, the “BTS Army” that has invaded Hamilton maybe the best behaved concert crowd I’ve ever seen. Beer is not a priority, smoking of anything, even less so.
BTS carries a message — love yourself and be respectful to your neighbours — that the fans seem to take it seriously.
They started arriving Wednesday afternoon, pitching tents on the street outside of FirstOntario Centre, hoping to be first in line for the handing out of wristbands for the general admission floor area in front of the stage.
By 2 a.m. Thursday, they were lining up on the Jackson Square rooftop where an array of tents had been set up to sell BTS merchandise. By 11 a.m. more than a thousand fans quietly stood in line waiting for a chance to buy something to prove they were there. T-shirts, priced at $70 were sold out by noon.
The hottest item was the “Official BTS Light Stick,” which promised to give the owner a personal light show synchronized with the show onstage. At $75 a pop, organizers expected to sell about 10,000 light sticks at each of the Hamilton shows.
Everyone politely waited their turn. They were mostly young women, late teens or early 20s, some moms and even a few boyfriends.
They all seemed happy just to be breathing the same air as their boyband idols from BTS.
With ticket prices ranging between $80 and $350, it’s easy to get cynical about this K-pop money-making machine, but the BTS Army is enjoying some good clean wholesome fun.
And what’s wrong with that, if you can afford it?