Concert Review: ENHYPEN’s ‘Fate Plus’ tour proves the septet are more than ‘mortal’
ENHYPEN returned to the U.S. for part two of their tour with new songs and even more energy.
Image: ENHYPEN Official Twitter/X.
On Sunday April 28, ENHYPEN visited Tacoma, Washington, for their Fate Plus Tour where they delivered three hours of entertainment, high-quality production, and frenetic excitement.
Coming back to Tacoma after more than eight years, member Jay was the main focus during all speeches as this concert marked his return to his hometown; this time with the group’s six other members, Jungwon, Heeseung, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki.
The group began the concert with one of their most well-known title tracks, “Drunk-Dazed,” which, connecting to their vampire lore, started the concert with a massive party celebrating the birthdays of the seven vampires.
As they worked their way through their earlier discography, they sang “Blockbuster,” which hadn’t been sung on their last tour though was highly requested, and took a break from their older tracks to sing “Still Monster.”
The sequence of the set list was incredibly well chosen as many audience members had visited ENHYPEN’s first World Tour, Manifesto, so they’d already seen these songs performed in a similar setting.
Image: ENHYPEN Official Twitter/X.
Two years on from the Manifesto tour ENHYPEN prove they keep getting better, with more precise live vocals, even more strenuous choreography, and engaging fan-service.
Since their Manifesto World Tour, the group has released two Korean mini albums, two collaborations, two covers, and multiple singles. Because they chose to put all of their previously performed sets first, the audience was filled with a knowingness and thrill for the music and choreography.
Though there’s a mutual enjoyment of older tracks between the group and their fans, the energy was building song by song as they got closer to their newer releases.
Typically, halfway through their concerts some of the members disappear to go change while the others sing a cover, and then they switch. Since the members were so excited to be able to visit Jay’s hometown, they instead decided to sing a group song that’s very familiar to the fans.
Originally covered in late February, ENHYPEN sang “What Makes You Beautiful” by former English-Irish pop-band One Direction much to the fans' excitement as it was the first time the group had sung this live.
Image: ENHYPEN Official Twitter/X.
Along with this great cover, they were joined on stage by seven Pikachus while they sang their song “One and Only” from their Pokémon collaboration. These strategized and well done covers and collaborations ignited sparks from each respective fandom.
After “Shout Out” and their most famous fan-chant song “Go Big or Go Home,” it was time to dip into the unseen and sensual. The overall mood of the Tacoma Dome darkened as songs with themes of want, ache, and desire took over the stage.
“Chaconne,” “Bills,” and “Criminal Love” have been songs that fans have been attached to since their release almost a year ago due to the older topics they carry as well as the pop/RnB sounds of the tracks.
Seeing them live was not only jaw dropping, but it was also incredibly impressive to see the duality of these seven men as they were able to change their dance technique and tone instantaneously.
This was followed by something long awaited for by fans, a performance of an iconic ENHYPEN intro. As they performed “Fate,” it seemed a silence had fallen over the crowd in admiration.
Following this with “Bite Me” the show seemed to be complete until they returned wearing their simplistically perfect tour merch for “Sweet Venom (English Ver.).”
Image: ENHYPEN Official Twitter/X.
As the concert slowly came to an end, it was heart-warming to see the hesitation to leave from both the members and the audience.
As their Tacoma stop was the largest venue of the tour, the dome was filled with thousands of like-minded individuals with a love for dancing, community, and music. The Fate Plus Tour was high-production, wonderfully executed, and left the crowd aching for even one more song.
With many goodbyes and a large encore, ENHYPEN left the stage but they also left the audience with a gift. Going onto social media afterwards, the group released news of a new mini album celebrating the memorabilia of their webtoon, Dark Moon: The Blood Altar.
This may have been goodbye to the Fate Plus Tour, but it doesn’t seem as though it will be goodbye for long.
The members of ENHYPEN have somehow accomplished a tour even more impressive than their last. If they keep this up, we expect to see them with an even larger fanbase, at bigger venues, and who knows, maybe even a Europe/Latin America tour.
Edited by Chelsea Cheetham.
