Live Review of RIIZEPeacock Theater Los Angeles, CA

Web: shop-us.riizeofficial.comPlayers: Anton, Eunseok, Shotaro, Sohee, Sungchan, Wonbin, all vocals.

It was a night of celebration for K-pop group RIIZE as they concluded their first-ever North American tour, RIIZING LOUD, with an impressive performance in Los Angeles. The show began with a dramatic VCR showcasing each of the six members: Anton, Eunseok, Shotaro, Sohee, Sungchan, and Wonbin. The fans (endearinglynicknamed BRIIZE) shrieked in loud excitement when their favorite appeared onscreen. Soon after RIIZE walked onstage in matching white and black outfits and kicked things off with the fiery track “Ember to Solar,” showing off their impressive, synchronized dance moves. Focusing all their energy on hyping up the fans, the group followed up with the obnoxiously fun “Siren” and the euphoric track “Odyssey.” The group finished the first segment of their set with “Combo,” a fan-favorite due to its highly catchy chorus that had everyone screaming, “I’m such a loser, she such a weirdo.” 

What makes RIIZE stand out from amongst the rest of the emerging K-pop boy groups are their high-energy pop tracks, fun wordplay and enjoyable harmonies. They’re a group that oozes with youthful charisma. The group knows where their strength lies and do a good job of showcasing their talents on stage. Wonbin and Sohee are the strongest vocalists, as their versatile delivery and impressive high notes could be heard loud and clear throughout the night. Anton’s husky vocals fit perfectly for the lower tempo moments in their songs, while Shungchan, Shotaro, and Eunseok rounded things out with their impressive rapping and vocal delivery. The group used minimal backtracking, letting us hear their raw vocals shine. 

Their set also featured memorable moments showcasing their impressive dance moves. During the melodic R&B song “Honestly,” each member took turns performing dance solos and as duos. The electronic track “Impossible” featured intense choreography with lots of fast leg moves and impressive kicks. While “Bag Bad Back” incorporated fun hip-hop choreography that had everyone dancing along. 

The fun transitions and interesting visuals kept things interesting and lively. One of the most memorable moments was before “Get A Guitar,” when Wonbin and Anton appeared on stage holding a bass and an electric guitar. Channeling their inner rock star, they performed an instrumental duet, which earned loud cheers and screams. 

In between songs, the group would take breaks to engage with fans and keep the energy up. They egged everyone to be as loud as possible, even challenging us to be louder than their previous show in San Francisco. Anton acted as the leader for the night as he hails from New Jersey and is fluent in English. As RIIZE’s North American tour leg came to an end, the group was humming with triumphant energy. Each member took time to thank fans for all the support and reminisced on their tour journey—sharing that they initially had fears and worries of crossing into the North American market. But thanks to all the love and support from fans, the tour turned out to be a grand success in their eyes. The post Live Review of RIIZE first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.