I'm not sure whether it's been apparent or not, but I've been teetering on the edge of an ahga-identity crisis.
Too frequent were the instances that I found myself feeling exhausted and utterly unmotivated, so tired to the point where there was not a drop of energy to spare for the other tidbits of joy in my life, namely GOT7.
I fell behind on the PAGE videos, then the sporadic V Lives, and even some of their Twitter posts. There was a sense of foreboding from within, and I questioned whether the thought of retirement from the fandom had been spurred from fatigue, anxiety, or mere moodiness.
I fell behind on the PAGE videos, then the sporadic V Lives, and even some of their Twitter posts. There was a sense of foreboding from within, and I questioned whether the thought of retirement from the fandom had been spurred from fatigue, anxiety, or mere moodiness.
 |  |
D-Day came, and was it ever hectic. After several pre-Canada Day errands, I sped downtown. Though I missed the signing of the Canadian flag and a handful of fansite giveaways, I managed to secure a navy tour t-shirt in time for the show.
A sugary Matcha Latte from McDonald's supplied us with energy to last till dinnertime.
 |  |
A Junior Chicken later, and we filed through the security gates for floor entry.
Concert commencement was slated for 7:30 PM, but the lights continued to flicker until the forty-minute mark, until, finally, the venue went dark. A stunning VCR began playing on the triple screens before us.
View the full album HERE !
Contrary to what I had anticipated, ECLIPSE was the first song of the night. Given that Look - the title song for the previous concert promotion period - had been performed nearly halfway into the night (and on the extended stage), there was something a little off about the opening track. But at least there were no concerns over Jinyoung's far right stage positioning (read: FOMO for potential fan interactions).
 |  |
What followed was a series of unit stages:
Given our positioning by the edge of the extended stage, I was unable to grasp a clear view of either of 2Jae's stages. The same situation arose for the JinGyeom stage, where Jinyoung's far right positioning caught me by surprise yet again. To say that I didn't suffer a twinge of disappointment would have been a lie.
On a brighter note, the international line's sentimental yet powerful display was wonderful - engaging and charismatic, heightened even further by the contrast of coloured lights.
- JB and Youngjae's individual vocal performances on the main stage
- AmeriThaiKong's rap segment on the extended stage
- Jinyoung and Yugyeom's joint dance segment on the main stage
Given our positioning by the edge of the extended stage, I was unable to grasp a clear view of either of 2Jae's stages. The same situation arose for the JinGyeom stage, where Jinyoung's far right positioning caught me by surprise yet again. To say that I didn't suffer a twinge of disappointment would have been a lie.
On a brighter note, the international line's sentimental yet powerful display was wonderful - engaging and charismatic, heightened even further by the contrast of coloured lights.
Remixes of older tracks never cease to amaze me, especially when inclusive of a bewildering dance break. However, the re-formatted rendition of Stop Stop It was one to deliver not only visual impact, but a fresh, new melody altogether. 하지하지마 has never been one of top tracks; tweaking its base sound in the remake was no easy feat, yet BamBam succeeded in redefine its identity to suit the group's current updated image.
Several of the tracks that I had expected to hear were not performed, namely:
The absence of You Are, in particular, came as the greatest shock to me. A track I can never seem to tire of, I was noticeably shaken when the boys did not assemble for the dance sequence. Girls Girls Girls - the debut track they've never omitted in any of their solo shows - was also oddly removed from the setlist.
- Girls Girls Girls
- A
- If You Do
- You Are (?!?!)
The absence of You Are, in particular, came as the greatest shock to me. A track I can never seem to tire of, I was noticeably shaken when the boys did not assemble for the dance sequence. Girls Girls Girls - the debut track they've never omitted in any of their solo shows - was also oddly removed from the setlist.
 |  |
As expected, the newer tracks such as Lullaby and Miracle, along with B-sides from Spinning Top (PAGE and 1°) were dispersed throughout the evening. Thank You took place just prior to the pre-encore VCR, with an irresistibly adorable message displayed above.
I had an inkling that Sign would make the list (ahem Twitter foreshadowing), though didn't quite believe it until the opening began playing. Circulating the extended stage while singing, the septet made certain to cover each and every corner of the venue, and each and every member of the Green Ocean.
Another performance I didn't expect was Paradise, given that we had heard it during the Eyes On You tour. But as with OUT and Go Higher (encore), it persists as a popular concert choice amongst the boys.
Another performance I didn't expect was Paradise, given that we had heard it during the Eyes On You tour. But as with OUT and Go Higher (encore), it persists as a popular concert choice amongst the boys.
The track that caused outright loss of sanity, though, was undoubtedly I Am Me. Shrill screams of sheer elation were induced as a result, subsequently followed by widened eyes and hair-pulling.
 |  |
As time for ending ments rolled around, I kept my eyes and ears open for the Prince of English. Jinyoung's vocabulary had left the audience starstruck during last year's Toronto show; rather than a lengthy segment of complex words, he allowed his feelings to be told this time in a simpler, straightforward manner. Regardless of in the ending VCR or his speech, he did not hide the fact that they, as a group, were nervous about the world tour, nor did he dismiss the fact that ahgases were aware of such anxiety from their actions and facial expressions. He ended his part by assuring us that he had enjoyed the show tremendously, and outwardly expressed his appreciation without hesitation: "I love you guys so much."
Youngjae executed his speech in a rather adorable way: similar to the previous year, the members less familiar with the English language would read off the monitor before them. He made no attempts to hide the fact that he was doing so, but it didn't make his heartfelt message any less impactful. What moved me - as well as thousands of other attendees - was the very fact that he made an entire round about both the main and extended stages, just for the purpose of saying "Thank you".
Youngjae executed his speech in a rather adorable way: similar to the previous year, the members less familiar with the English language would read off the monitor before them. He made no attempts to hide the fact that he was doing so, but it didn't make his heartfelt message any less impactful. What moved me - as well as thousands of other attendees - was the very fact that he made an entire round about both the main and extended stages, just for the purpose of saying "Thank you".
Bambam's ending ment moved me the most. Inspite of being known as the loudiest, craziest, and goofiest member of all, he relayed his message in a manner entirely unlike his on- (and off-) stage personality. Ever since their first show at Toronto KpopCon in 2016, he has named us his "moose", and never forgets to reiterate that during every visit. He made us aware that Toronto has a special place in his heart, and we are forever thankful.
Even Mark was close to tears with at the termination of the show. Our hearts went weak looking at the bloodshot eyes magnified before us.
Even Mark was close to tears with at the termination of the show. Our hearts went weak looking at the bloodshot eyes magnified before us.
The Canadian leg of the tour was definitely not one without hardships. The boys knew this, but made it a point to reinforce their trust in us.
As BamBam had stated, they have instilled their faith in us, and we owe it to them to do the same.
As BamBam had stated, they have instilled their faith in us, and we owe it to them to do the same.
Having spent a solid three hours in Keep Spinning in Toronto, I can confidently conclude that my Ahgaidentity has been re-instated. The boys have once again taught me another life lesson: It's alright to waver, allow the quivers of anxiety in, because we are all human at the end of the day. However, it's equally important to have faith in ourselves, our abilities; to continue the trust in the things (and beautiful beings) that we believe in; to rest easy that we are doing well and can continue to do well.
Through this show, I found what my soul had yearned to know.
The answer is to Keep Spinning.
Through this show, I found what my soul had yearned to know.
The answer is to Keep Spinning.
P.S. And no, Jinyoung did not grab my hand. I do hope that he noticed my obnoxiously large headband though.
Additional Afterthoughts:
- I love Jinyoung. I love boys in denim. I love Park Jinyoung in denim, especially faded/gradient denim.
- Youngjae in his Supreme headband will forever tug at my heartstrings in an ethereal kinda way.
- Mark looks best in platinum, in my opinion, but his dark strands tucked behind a headband was shockingly attractive.
- Jackson shines brightest in vibrant shades such as cobalt blue and zesty orange.
- JB is a creature with incredible duality; you may choose between his cat-loving homebody self, or the wild, water-flinging alter ego referred to as "Def".
- I did not perceive any new revelations about the maknae, but it's undeniable that the JinGyeom unit is one of the most highly anticipated pairings on the upcoming season of GOT2Day.
Admittedly, my bias ranking has changed once again. With the influence of Youngjae's presence on our side of the stage, BamBam's moving ment, and Mark's elevated visuals, the current ranking proceeds as such:
- Jinyoung
- Youngjae
- BamBam
- JB/Jackson
- Mark
- Yugyeom
Bolted and glued flip chairs on the floor level were a MAJOR safety and fire hazard - whoever thought it'd be a good way of handling crowds needs to retake their Health and Safety Orientation with an emphasis on trip hazards and escape routes.
While it was brought to my attention that this year's show was less thoughtful than the previous year's, whether it be in terms of stage design or artistic direction of unit performances, I stand by my claim that one occurrence of Keep Spinning was more enjoyable than two of Eyes on You. Concert experiences are very personal, thus the manner and frequency of member interactions hold greater value than the performances themselves. Seamless productions can be sourced online from fansites or broadcasting stations, but a moment with a particular member belongs to me and only me. Moreover, a front view in close proximity trumped both far right and close back views of the 2018 World Tour.
While it was brought to my attention that this year's show was less thoughtful than the previous year's, whether it be in terms of stage design or artistic direction of unit performances, I stand by my claim that one occurrence of Keep Spinning was more enjoyable than two of Eyes on You. Concert experiences are very personal, thus the manner and frequency of member interactions hold greater value than the performances themselves. Seamless productions can be sourced online from fansites or broadcasting stations, but a moment with a particular member belongs to me and only me. Moreover, a front view in close proximity trumped both far right and close back views of the 2018 World Tour.
RSS Feed