After kicking off their “MANIFESTO” world tour in Seoul earlier this summer, ENHYPEN started their U.S. leg of the tour by visiting Anaheim, CA for the first two stops on their U.S. tour. At the Honda Center, ENHYPEN’s fanbase ENGENEs were in full force, lining up days ahead of time to snag a spot on the front-row barricade for the concerts. In late September, the group, minus member Sunoo, was in Los Angeles to attend and perform at KCON LA, but this was their first time taking on an arena stateside by themselves with their full seven-member lineup. They didn’t disappoint – the Honda Center was home to a sold-out crowd on the first night and nearly sold out on the second.
Donning garments with a royal air for the first set of songs, the members started the show with their hard-hitting debut song “Given-Taken.” They introduced themselves individually to the multitude of screaming fans before a quick change into darker-themed red and black outfits. Shifting back into performance mode, they launched into their first comeback song, “Drunk-Dazed.” Their entrancing vocals filled the arena as they displayed their skills through intense group choreography.
Rather than settling into a chill track to act as a break after a fierce opening performance, the group kept the energy going with the upbeat “One in A Billion,” singing their lungs out to runs of solid guitar riffs. Slowing it down a bit, the members moved with precision to an R&B dance break before member Jake took over the stage with a solo, ending it by setting up into the spider-like formation for the fan-favorite song “FEVER.” The energy of the crowd’s goosebump-evoking shrieks at the sound of the first note was mirrored and amplified by the members in the next section of songs, starting with the rock-inspired track “Attention, Please!” Each of the seven members had their section of the stage lit up as they sang their parts, the relatable lyrics echoing within the arena.
Another fan favorite made an appearance on the setlist, with a fun twist when ENHYPEN began performing “Polaroid Love” on the main stage. However, as the song progressed to the sweetly sung chorus, they walked into the audience, serenading ENGENEs up close. The members seemed to have a lot of fun during this segment, mentioning the moment in their speeches later in the concert as well. “Just A Little Bit” was next, another wistful tune from their diverse discography.
Now, more than halfway through the show, they spoke to the fans again before “Tamed-Dashed” got the crowd up and dancing again. Next was “Blessed-Cursed,” their comeback title track from January of this year, and it was one of the most powerful stages of both shows. As the septet laid down the intense rock-inspired pop song, the group’s catchy choreography was imitated throughout the audience in a captivating moment. Moving straight into “Go Big Or Go Home,” concertgoers jumped up to join the group in embodying the lyrics “I’m feeling lucky.” In the general admission section, a group of brightly smiling fans danced in a circle while they sang along. The performance included a rave-like dance break at the bridge, with neon lights shining and the bass pumping. Following the madness of the last few songs, they continued to hype the crowd with their latest title track, “Future Perfect (Pass The Mic).” ENGENEs were feeling the heat by this point, and so were the members, who took a quick break to wipe their sweat and grab a drink of water.
The vigorous setlist continued with “ParadoXXX Invasion,” a high-energy B-side from their recent album MANIFESTO: DAY 1. After a quick breather, the members gave their ending speeches. Sunghoon said, “We’ve spent so much time practicing for today, and I feel like it was all leading up to this moment.” Sunoo was treated to almost a full minute of absolutely deafening screams by ENGENEs, all excited to see him after his absence during the group’s KCON LA appearance. Overflowing with gratitude for ENGENEs, the members, who debuted during the pandemic, noted how touched they felt to have a dedicated U.S. audience show up solely for them. They then performed “Shout Out,” an anthemic, encouraging track featuring lyrics written by Jake. Before starting the song over and singing “Shout Out” for a second time, they bowed and said their last goodbyes. Leader Jungwon said, “This moment where we can be together feels even more precious. You might think that after the show, we’ll split up and go our separate ways, but even though we’re physically not together, we’ll always be together by heart.”
On this high note, the boys said their goodbyes and left the first-night concertgoers flying and eager for the group’s next activities. Fortunately for ENGENEs, the Honda Center concerts were not the last of ENHYPEN in Los Angeles. They also made an appearance at The Grammy Museum on Tuesday in their “Global Spin Live” series performing two songs and chatting with moderator Emily Mei. With such a dedicated fanbase and endless talent, ENHYPEN can expect Los Angeles to show up for them for years to come.