NCT sub-group NCT DREAM kicked off the North American leg of their extensive world tour in Los Angeles at the brand new Intuit Dome this week and Inglewood lit up in shades of green for the event. NCTzens armed with their lightsticks and dressed in their very best swarmed the dome early in the evening for this first night of the tour and were treated to an energetic three-hour performance from the group.
The “little brother” group of the main NCT unit features RENJUN (currently on hiatus and not actively performing), JENO, HAECHAN, CHENLE, JAEMIN, JISUNG and MARK (who is somehow everywhere). After heavy traffic delayed the beginning of the show, the six active members emerged in a haze of smoke and lasers and absolutely set the place on fire (quite literally with all the pyrotechnics) from the jump off into “Box” and “Go”. Neon green Neobongs synced up with the stage lights and turned the show into an interaction between the group and their fans all night.
The members then introduced themselves to the screaming audience and kept things moving with a very high energy set. NCT Dream exudes 90s boy band vibes and their songs are lighthearted, fun and just the right touch of goofy to keep the live experience cheerful. To observe the room was to see the constant smiles on the faces of the fans- smiles that were returned when the members traversed down the catwalk to the secondary stage to be even closer to their audience.
The group was also backed by eye-catching production that included fire, flashing lights and several confetti showers that had attendees scrambling to save pieces as souvenirs. “Poison” and “We Go Up” were clear fan favorites as the Neobongs bobbed and waved in unison. There were several breaks between intense choreography where the group had the chance to speak directly to their diehards- even go so far as to manifest two nights in LA for the next tour. One such break had the guys goofing off- doing dual pushups and teasing MARK while the fans egged them on.
The Dream Show 3: Dream Scape continued into the night with “Yogurt Shake” and the impossibly catchy “Candy”. They also took a section of the setlist to get a little sentimental in the midst of the silliness, with ballads like “Fireflies” and “Broken Melodies” setting the audience swaying along.
Before the encore, the group once again let their goofy sides show, getting out the giggles right into “Skateboard” and the addictive “Smoothie” choreography. After an evening of outfit changes from coordinating opening fits to cream silk suits, the group emerged one more time for an encore of “Rains in Heaven” and “Just Like We Met” to really drive home the deep emotional connection they feel with their fans. The sendoff was almost tame in its energy, with the room having expended all they had dancing and singing along for nearly three hours. As the members themselves expressed, they will certainly be back in LA- and this time with multiple nights to enjoy one of their favorite cities.
