BTS Take Their “PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE” Concert to Las Vegas: Recap, Photos + Setlist
The post BTS Take Their “PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE” Concert to Las Vegas: Recap, Photos + Setlist appeared first on Consequence.
Las Vegas may be a good time gal, but she isn’t easy. The self-proclaimed “Entertainment Capital of the World” is accustomed to hosting countless entertainers. And perhaps because there’s always another visiting celeb, the city rolls out her red carpet for no one… that is, until BTS arrived in Sin City.
In this case, it was a purple carpet, and it blanketed the city in excitement. In honor of a sold-out, four-night run at Allegiant Stadium (April 8th-9th and 15th-16th) titled PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE IN LAS VEGAS, the iconic Bellagio Fountain Show has been playing BTS hits, while Strip marquees display the word “Borahaegas” in a purple-hued nod to the group.
But that’s just the beginning of a city-wide immersive event, or “urban concert playpark,” called BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE THE CITY – LAS VEGAS. The festivities include a “Behind the Stage” exhibit at Area 15, a concert after-party called “Party in the City” at Aria’s Jewel Nightclub, a themed “Cafe in the City” at Mandalay Bay’s Noodle Shop and even BTS-themed hotel rooms at 11 MGM Resort properties.
But all those festivities were just a warmup for the main event. Hot off their April 3rd Grammy performance at MGM Grand Garden Arena, the superstars have been performing at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas’ largest venue (and host to the Raiders NFL team), which can hold 50,000 ARMY members. Of course, that wasn’t enough to satisfy demand to see the biggest band in the world. So BTS added “LIVE PLAY in Las Vegas” at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on all four nights, enabling fans to watch a livestream in person.
BTS in Las Vegas, photo courtesy of BIGHIT MUSIC
BTS’s April 8th opening night was delayed nearly an hour due to technical difficulties, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. By the second night, when the media was invited to attend, all troubles had been solved and the evening flowed smooth like butter (ahem). That’s no small feat, considering the show’s generous use of fireworks, pyrotechnics, elaborate video screens and big setpieces, such as a moving platform and balloon-filled trollies.
The April 9th concert was a fantasia of light and sound, movement and music. The boys delivered on their promise and then some. And because it’s Vegas, BTS wasn’t the only boy band performing that night; the Backstreet Boys are playing the same four-night run as part of their DNA TOUR at Caesars Palace Colosseum. Still, there wasn’t a question as to which of the two acts are occupying the pop music throne in 2022: that honor undoubtedly goes to BTS.
BTS’s performance — the singing, the dancing, the earnest audience banter — was superb. It seems very possible that they could be the most popular band in the world, if for no other reason than because they are the hardest working band in the world. The septet’s Saturday night performance in Las Vegas was no exception. After the dance heavy opening (“On,” “Burning Up,” “DOPE”), BTS was visibly sweaty.
The cardio-heavy singing and dancing were broken up by conversations with the audience and by thematic video interludes. This rhythm gave everybody a chance to catch their breath. While the band changed costumes, anonymous workers made the stage safe for dancing by using leaf blowers to clear out the confetti, streamers and other party detritus.
BTS in Las Vegas, photo courtesy of BIGHIT MUSIC
While RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook were the ostensible stars, the ARMY should be considered the 8th member of BTS. They certainly amped up the volume with their screaming. At one point in the evening, the band admitted to having felt “tired” before the show started (who wouldn’t feel exhausted at the thought of so much dancing?) and credited their ARMY with giving them the energy to go on, calling the ARMY their “battery.”
Meanwhile, the use of high-tech lightsticks (a.k.a. Army Bombs) turned the stadium audience into a giant lightshow. The coordinated lights change colors and designs based on where the audience is sitting, creating eye-popping effects that mirror the music. For example, a sea of lights turned red for “Burning Up (FIRE).” It’s a far cry from the lighters of yesteryear. And thanks to a ban on cell phone recording, the glowing orbs were dominant.
More than just a concert, the BTS show was a communion of the like-minded. In one break between songs, the towering video screens zoomed in on the various audience member signs. In addition to countless marriage proposals, the ARMY shared memes, in-jokes and messages of inclusion and solidarity. At a BTS show, everybody belongs, especially the festive ladies holding the sign reading “Dope Old People Love BTS.” Like eating ice cream or visiting Disney World, it seems impossible to be unhappy or unenergetic while at a BTS concert. Everybody — from the band to the dancers to the audience — offered so much joy.
BTS in Las Vegas, photo courtesy of BIGHIT MUSIC
Throughout the evening, BTS wowed with their singing and dance skills (assuming one can still be surprised at their massive talent). And their legion of backup dancers added to the effect. While the choreographed dancing was always tight, their most memorable moment was during “Black Swan.” The dancers were clad in black shirts with feathery white sleeves. They flowed onstage hunched forward with their arms raised behind them like wings. Reminiscent of birds or perhaps even angels, their dance had a naturalistic quality that ascended to the heights of the sublime.
Is it wrong to say that the evening’s back-to-back mega hits “Dynamite” and “Butter” were my favorites? Generally, it is hipper to fixate on a slightly more obscure b-side. But the BTS experience seems to be all about embracing joy. And no matter how cool I’d like to pretend to be, nothing made me happier than the snappy, upbeat earworms found in “Dynamite” and “Butter.” Well, one song does compete for the crown: the tour’s eponymous show-ender “Permission to Dance.” With that celebration of post-pandemic freedom, everybody set themselves free.
The “BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE – LAS VEGAS’ show hits Allegiant Stadium again on April 15th and 16th. As of press time, limited tickets for those dates are available via Ticketmaster.
Setlist:
Opening VCR
INTRO + ON
Burning Up (FIRE)
DOPE
Talk
DNA
VCR 2
Blue & Grey
INTRO + Black Swan
Talk
Blood Sweat & Tears + FAKE LOVE + OUTRO
VCR 3
Life Goes On
Boy With Luv
Talk
Dynamite
INTRO + Butter
VCR 4
INTRO + Telepathy + OUTRO
Outro : Wings
Talk
Stay + So What
IDOL
VCR 5
HOME
Anpanman + Go Go
Talk
Permission to Dance + OUTRO
BTS Take Their “PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE” Concert to Las Vegas: Recap, Photos + Setlist
Cindi Reed
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