CIX (or “Complete in X”), a five-unit K-Pop group consisting of members BX, Seunghun, Bae Jinyoung, Yonghee, and Hyunsuk, stopped in Washington D.C. on March 14 for the third show on the U.S. leg of their <Save me, Kill me> world tour.
CIX made their official debut in July of 2019 with the release of their first EP HELLO Chapter 1: Hello Stranger, and single “Movie Star.” Gaining a global audience of dedicated fans fairly quickly, they completed their first official world tour in the spring of 2022 following the pandemic travel pause. After their fifth EP release ‘OK’ Episode 1: OK Not in August, fans (known as FIX, or “Faith in X”) were thrilled about the announcement of a second world tour that kicked off in Seoul this past December, with subsequent stops planned across Europe, America, and Asia.
Despite blustery winter weather, fans showed up in droves a few hours before the show, took pictures with each other, and handed out fan-made goods and gifts to fellow FIX. When doors finally opened, the organized line excitedly shuffled into the unique venue called The Theater, nestled inside the famous MGM National Harbor Resort & Casino in D.C. The spacious stage held a large LCD screen that projected the CIX tour logo and various graphics throughout the night, while two additional screens on each side of the house gave audience members a perfect view of the show from every angle.
The opening VCR built up excitement for the evening by visually introducing each CIX member followed by group snapshots while fans cheered through each transition in the video. As the clip faded out, the band appeared silhouetted against multi-colored CIX logos onscreen. They started off the evening singing “Numb” followed by “Young,” launching directly into high-energy choreography while being shrouded in dark, moody lighting. As they continued to perform, the stage gradually grew brighter, and the LCD screens began to display vibrant graphics to complement the songs.
Midway through the night, each member took turns in the spotlight delivering a solo performance that highlighted their individual tastes and talents. Their cover songs included personal renditions of Justin Bieber‘s “Holy,” Futuristic’s “Bodied,” Giveon’s “Heartbreak Anniversary,” DPR LIVE’s “Text Me,” and keshi’s “alright.”
Following the solo acts and a short VCR segment, all the members came back together to discuss their personal reasons behind their song choices, eliciting cheers and laughter from the crowd. They then continued with the second half of the show, beginning with a track from their latest EP “458.”
The enthusiastic crowd cheered, sang along, and sometimes even cried through the diverse set list which included fan-favorite songs from across their discography, such as “Imagine,” “Without You,” “Everything,” “Bad Dream,” and “Movie Star.” As the evening began to wind down, CIX announced that the show was coming to an end shortly. But, the fun wasn’t over yet so they continued with their high-energy dances and sweet ballads for a few more tracks.
During a short ment before the finale, CIX commended the incredible energy and passion of D.C. fans; conveyed their excitement about performing in the DMV (D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area) for the first time; teased some upcoming album news; and promised to return with a whole new concert experience.
As soon as they departed, FIX began to chant “C-I-X” in hopes of encouraging CIX to quickly return to the stage for a much-desired encore. The final VCR began to play, silencing the crowd as each member appeared on screen to share their thoughts and express appreciation for the support, promising to return soon. The recording concluded by telling FIX to look forward to more content later in 2023 before the members returned to the stage with fresh outfits and big smiles to finish the night. They jumped right into a short encore starting with “Drown in Luv” followed by a popular track from the ‘HELLO’ Chapter Ø: Hello, Strange Dream EP, “Cinema.”
After their last song, “The One,” CIX delivered their final farewells to the crowd, “Thank you for being here with us tonight, and for letting us shine on stage!” They proceeded to take a group photo holding a fan-signed “Welcome to the DMV” flag and recorded a short TikTok clip of the cheering crowd before closing out the evening with waves and finger hearts. Though it was their first time performing in Washington D.C., the city and its fans are more than ready to welcome CIX back on their next tour.