On March 20, Dreamcatcher brought their Reason: Makes Dreamcatcher 2023 to a close with a dynamic performance at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. The tour’s namesake hails from the group’s fan song “Reason,” which expresses the septet’s endless gratitude for the unwavering love and support received throughout their career.
Despite the unusual cold front and sporadic downpour that swept through Southern California in the weeks prior, hundreds of their die-hard fans called InSomnias showed up in full force to pack the historic concert hall. The line wrapped around the entire city block with the earliest arrivals camping out over 24 hours in advance. The fans’ dedication comes as no surprise, as the City of Angels holds countless memories for both Dreamcatcher and InSomnia. L.A. was a tour stop on their 2019 and 2022 tours and also the site of their first-ever performance on U.S. soil. In 2018, the members made their first stateside appearance at KCON 2018 L.A. and also met InSomnia at an intimate fanmeet organized by 7-Dreamers.
As the stage lights dimmed, a video montage of Dreamcatcher’s live performances welcomed everyone to the show. The crowd’s deafening screams filled the venue as JiU, SuA, Siyeon, Handong, Yoohyeon, Dami, and Gahyeon took their spots on stage. Opening with their debut song “Chase Me” and their 2018 single “You and I,” the septet set the stage ablaze with their powerful choreography that showcased their intricate footwork and synchronized movements. In a fun turn of events, Yoohyeon and JiU switched up their ending pose in “You and I” with Yoohyeon grasping JiU’s neck instead, earning a giggle from the latter.
As Dreamcatcher followed with “What” and “Scream,” it became blatantly clear that the audience was amped and ready to match the group’s energy. InSomnias’ booming voices rang loud and clear as they shouted “What! What! What!” and “Please, I don’t want to scream” back to the members and even joined Dami and Gahyeon in their respective verses, “Devil eyes come / nuneul tteunda nuneul tteunda.”
The concert setlist was a perfect balance between old fan favorites and their newest releases. B-sides like “The Curse of the Spider,” “Diamond,” and “And There Was No One Left” from their The End of Nightmare EP made their live performance debut on the tour while fan-favorites “Sahara” and “BOCA” returned and pulled intensive chants and cheers from the crowd.
The members beamed on stage as they candidly shared fun moments while in the city. The night prior, Yoohyeon, SuA, Siyeon, and Gahyeon went to Yup Dduk, a local Koreatown restaurant known for its spicy tteokbokki (rice cakes). While it was a dish she was looking forward to trying, Siyeon admitted that she couldn’t handle the heat. “From what I heard, Siyeon was eating tteokbokki that was too spicy, so she was crying,” Dami teased.
In between performances, the members made space to interact with their fans. They instigated a lightstick wave and a screaming competition among different sections of the venue. They even treated the audience to a surprise performance of “Love Shake,” an infectiously sweet pop track from their MINX days before the group re-branded to Dreamcatcher and Handong and Gahyeon joined the team. Although MINX’s lineup consisted of five members, the live arrangement ensured all seven Dreamcatcher members shined on stage.
One memorable fan interaction of the night was when JiU spotted a fan holding a Judy Hopps bowler hat in the crowd. She instantly recognized him — at their last L.A. concert, the same fan assembled a mega lightstick to deliver the hat directly into JiU’s waiting arms. “It’s deja vu!” she exclaimed and asked the audience and security to pass the hat to her so she could wear it again.
As the night drew to a close, the girls shared their heartfelt thank yous. Most expressed their shock at how fast time flew by, but they were grateful for another opportunity to meet their U.S. fans. Dami even shared that it was national happiness day, but every day spent with InSomnia was a day filled with happiness. “As long as you guys are always by our sides, then we’ll always be happy.”
Lastly, Yoohyeon closed out the final ment with a message in English, “I really appreciate all of your support, and I will never forget these precious memories, so I hope you also won’t forget how we spent this night. Thanks for being our InSomnias!”
With that being said, the members took a group photo with the audience and then immediately transitioned into back-to-back bangers, “Silent Night” and “Mayday.” The Bluetooth-synced lightsticks pulsed to the former’s synth-heavy tune and thumping beats, effectively crafting a club-like atmosphere. Meanwhile, the latter’s anthemic sound, driven by intense drums and guitars, roused the crowd’s spirits.
For their encore performance, Dreamcatcher swapped their stage outfits for their tour merchandise and closed out with “Full Moon,” “Over the Sky,” and “Reason.” From the powerful vocals to the dynamic choreography, every moment of the concert was a testament to Dreamcatcher’s dedication to their craft and their fans. Until their next L.A. concert, InSomnias can catch Dreamcatcher in Las Vegas on Friday, April 21, at We Bridge Expo.