When Monsta X announced the North American leg of their upcoming world tour, The X: Nexus, fans of the group, known globally as Monbebe, immediately understood the assignment. Braving unseasonably high temperatures, Chicago’s rush hour traffic, and the aftermath of one very late weeknight, Monbebe packed the Rosemont Theater on October 13 to spend an evening with one of 3rd Gen K-Pop’s brightest stars.
Filling the theater nearly to capacity, Monbebe welcomed their beloved idols back to the Windy City with all the enthusiasm Chicago fans have come to be known for. As the house lights dimmed, all eyes turned to the stage as “Shoot Out” came pounding over the speakers. With no artist in sight, Monbebe sang along, taking the energy in the room from high to manic as everyone anxiously awaited the appearance of Shownu, Hyungwon, Joohoney, Minkyuk, and Kihyun.
Storming the stage with a jaw-dropping performance of “Dramarama,” the quintet moved seamlessly through a five-song set that included “Love Killa,” “Rush Hour,” “LONE RANGER,” and “Catch Me Now.” The seamless addition of chairs to the stage allowed for a mid-set jacket change so smooth it almost went unnoticed was impressive. However, it was Kihyun’s demonstration of his vocal prowess at the end of “LONE RANGER” that had fans screaming.
Slowing things down long enough to make their initial introductions, the members took a moment to chat with Monbebe. While each member got an extraordinary amount of love from the fans, Joohoney’s introduction in particular was filled with an impressive amount of barking; so much so that it prompted him to ask why all of the other members got so many cheers while he got barking. Laughing as he said it, the audience quickly switched from barks to screams as Joohoney asked which Monbebe had been to a Chicago show before and which were seeing them for the first time. During his comments, Kihyun made a point to list off every year in which Monsta X has made a Chicago appearance, including 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, and of course, 2026.
Moving into the next set, which Hyungwon had appropriately introduced as having “sexy vibes,” Monsta X had fans swooning as they delivered a heart-stopping, knee-weakening performance of “MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,” “baby blue,” and “heal.” While this set provided enough body rolls to bring even the most stalwart fan to their knees, it was the combination of rich vocals, raw emotion, and perfectly blended harmonies that made this particular set unforgettable.
Giving Monbebe a moment to catch their collective breath, Monsta X left the stage for a quick outfit change. A heavily biker-themed video kept the audience entertained while the group changed and every appearance by the absent I.M, who is currently fulfilling his military service, evoked a raucous amount of cheers.
Returning to the stage with the lead track off their fourth EP, The Phase, Monsta X entranced Monbebe with a little “Magic.” Following up their magic act with a one-two punch of “Do What I Want” and “Tuscan Leather,” the group took another quick break to say a few words and provide a whole lot of fanservice. Between Joononey’s impromptu beatboxing, Kihyun inviting the crowd to join him in an acapella version of “heal,” and Minhyuk pointing out that even though their stage performances are “hot,” it’s Monbebe who make their stages “even hotter,” the group found a way to take the already manic energy in the room even higher.
Because of the heat, both literal and metaphorical, Kihyun took a moment to remind Monbebe to take breaks and get help if they started feeling ill. While the actual heat was a real factor throughout the evening, it was Kihyun’s segue into their next song that had fans swooning. No one in the room was prepared for Kihyun’s “Hey babe…” and the group’s seamless transition into “WHO DO U LOVE?” and “this!”
Once again giving Monbebe a chance to catch their breath, Monsta X left the stage for another quick outfit change while a space-themed video played across the full-stage-sized screens. With one video leading into another, the crowd erupted into near-hysterical screams as they were treated to an unexpected video performance by I.M.
Continuing with the solo performances, Shownu took the stage for a performance of “Around & Go” that led seamlessly into Hyungwon’s solo performance of “NO AIR.” The duo then took the stage together for a performance of “Do You Love Me” that had fans in a feral frenzy.
Kihyun’s high-energy “Howling” solo was the perfect follow-up to Shownu and Hyungwon’s performance. Minhyuk, with his oversized suit and baby blue guitar, had fans weeping as he performed his solo track, “Reaching.”
Storming the stage with all of his inexcusable charisma, Joohoney shot the energy in the room into the stratosphere with a performance of “STING” and “Touch the sky” that left everyone in the room clamouring for more.
With the solo stages over, the group gathered on-stage once again to discuss their individual performances. Hyungwon admitted that leaving the audience breathless had been their ultimate goal, which, between the performances and the heat, they most definitely accomplished.
Moving into their final set, Monsta X wrapped up the evening with a three-song set that included “Beautiful Liar,” “Alligator,” and “Shoot Out.” Ending the evening with the same track that kicked off the show was a particularly nice touch as it brought the audience full-circle, providing a very satisfying feeling of closure.
Of course, no Monsta X show truly ends without an encore, which meant that even as the group walked off the stage, waving goodbye, the night wasn’t over yet. As chants of “Monsta X” filled the dark theater, a tour-themed scream-o-meter filled the stage screens that rose and fell with the crowd’s volume. With the theater full of Monbebe desperate for more, it didn’t take long for the audience to fill the meter, and the room, with cheers wild enough to summon the group back on-stage.
Giving Monbebe exactly what they wanted, the group returned to the stage with “Oh My” and “Rodeo” as the crowd sang and danced along. With the night quickly coming to an end, Monsta X took a moment to thank everyone for coming and for supporting them through the years. As is typically the custom at the end of a show, the group took several group photos as the audience held up lightsticks and hearts of every variety imaginable.
After making enthusiastic promises to return, Monsta X closed out the evening with a fan-service-filled performance of “growing pains” that left more than a few Monbebe teary-eyed. With smiles and waves and blown kisses, the group made their final farewells as they walked off-stage, leaving Monbebe with a full heart and memories that will undoubtedly last a lifetime.