Suga Kicks Off Solo U.S. Tour with 3 Sold-Out New York Shows — the First Member of BTS to Do So
The Grammy-nominated rapper-producer, who also performs under the name Agust D, next makes stops in Chicago, Los Angeles and Oakland
BTS has had plenty of record-breaking firsts as a group, but Suga just checked off one of his own: first member to embark on a U.S. solo tour.
The rapper, 30, who introduced himself on stage at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, Wednesday and Thursday nights as Suga; his alternate moniker, Agust D; and his birth name, Yoongi; performed songs that represent all three personas, including from his two mixtapes and one official album, the just-released D-Day.
Fans who thought the Grammy-nominated K-pop star, who's often characterized as the most subdued or serious member of the group, may take a more reserved approach to his show were met instead with a full-force, BTS-level spectacle: artful set pieces, cinematic videos and every special effect that's safe to use in an arena.
Suga's stage does carry a darkness with it, however. It begins with a literal bang: a flash of light and the screeching sound of a motorcycle crash — an echo of the recent music video for the song "Amygdala" — before Suga is carried out by a group of hooded men who lay him on the ground, a prone figure in a simulated downpour of rain.
Thankfully, the music revives the rapper and he launches into "Haegeum," the powerful, pounding single off D-Day, before running through "Daechwita" from his second mixtape, and "Agust D" and "give it to me," off his first.
The shape-shifting set was a surprise to even the most dedicated BTS fans, known collectively as "Army," because, unlike the group's Permission to Dance On Stage concert, which was first performed in (and streamed from) South Korea, this was D-Days' true debut.
Throughout the show, segments of the stage are lifted away, revealing new scenes underneath — a living room with an old TV and another with an upright piano, where the musician accompanied himself for Agust D's version of "Life Goes On."
Army's cheers hit a fever pitch during the medley of Suga's iconic verses in some fan-favorite BTS rap line songs: "Cypher PT.3 : KILLER," "Cypher 4," "UGH!," and "Ddaeng," and his new collaboration with member J-Hope, "HuH?!"
By the end of the show, the performer was isolated on a single segment of the stage with flames licking the bottom for a scorching performance of "Amygdala." Suga previously shared that the song is intended as the final piece of a trilogy of music videos (following "Daechwita" and "Haegeum") that reveals the origin of Agust D's famous eye scar, as well as offering a rare and raw glimpse of some of the rapper's most personal battles.
His willingness to address the stigma around issues like mental health has earned Suga Army's deep devotion, and he put that on display in front of a sold-out crowd for two nights at UBS and another at Newark's Prudential Center on Saturday.
During his set, he spoke about the evolution of his solo music, from the anger and the urge to prove himself to BTS's critics he felt in his teens and early 20s, to how he's faced down his demons to find the self-assured artist he is today at 30.
For his encore, Suga emerges at ground level, seemingly his least idol-like form, to perform the title track "D-Day," "Nevermind" and "The Last," while surrounded by surveillance cameras filming him from every angle that seems to also carry a heavy symbolism about his life in the spotlight.
The tour continues in Chicago, Los Angeles and Oakland, followed by an Asia leg, before ending in Seoul in June.
Suga is the fourth member of BTS — which also includes RM, 28, Jin, 30, J-Hope, 29, Jimin, 27, V, 27, and Jungkook, 25 — to turn out a full solo album since the group announced last year that they'd be focussing on solo projects and continuing some group activities as the members fulfill South Korea's mandatory military service.
J-Hope released Jack in the Box and performed a historic Lollapalooza headlining set; RM dropped Indigo, featuring collaborations with Erykah Badu and Anderson .Paak; and most recently, Jimin released Face, which he promoted with his first solo Tonight Show appearance. Jin dropped a collaboration with Coldplay, "The Astronaut," last fall and Jungkook performed the official World Cup song "Dreamers." The members have also kept busy with new fashion partnerships, TV shows (like V's "Jinny's Kitchen) and more.
Suga gave them all a heartfelt shout-out from stage each night, saying it felt a little lonely up there without them, and heralding that they'd be back together soon. In Newark, he got a little closer to that dream, with his "brother" Jimin making a surprise appearance in the crowd and sending fans into a frenzy before Suga jokingly had to call attention back to the stage, smiling and saying "Focus on me. This is my concert, you know."
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