It has been a busy year for The Rose after participating in a string of music festivals these past several months. With a huge demand in the West, the South Korean indie rock band fulfilled their promise to return for their DAWN to DUSK Tour. The tour, which follows the release of their newest album DUAL, spans 18 cities across North America with more countries that have yet to be announced.
On October 31, The Rose made their way over to Miami to reunite with their fans, also known as Black Roses. The streets were bustling with activity as it was Halloween and the line in front of James L. Knight Center wrapped around the block. Attendees started trickling into the theater as soon as doors opened and clutched onto their lightsticks with anticipation. Some were seen wearing Halloween costumes to celebrate the occasion.
Upon entering, fans were heard singing along to Woosung’s solo songs from the pre-show playlist. It wasn’t long before the lights dimmed and four silhouettes appeared. The stage was bathed in a cloud of smoke as members Woosung, Dojoon, Jaehyeong, and Hajoon stepped out and took position onstage with their instruments. The show started off with an instrumental rock intro, followed by hits from their DUAL album such as “Eclipse,” “You’re Beautiful,” and “Lifeline.” In a matter of minutes, the crowd was deeply enthralled by the band’s stage presence.
After the members gave their introductions, Dojoon remarked, “I noticed that there are a lot of lightsticks this time compared to last year,” which was returned with solid affirmation. Given that the sizes of the venues they booked for this tour were bigger than the ones from last year, it was apparent that The Rose’s popularity continues to grow as more people discover their music.
Lightsticks turned the room into an ocean of red just in time for their next track “Red.” The crowd frantically waved their arms in the air and danced along to the song’s uplifting melodies. They kept the joyous vibe going as Black Roses clapped along to “Back To Me” and cheered when Woosung and Dojoon showed off their cute dance moves during “Yes.” Woosung mentioned they invited special guests to sing the next song which turned out to be bandmates Jaehyeong and Hajoon as they took turns singing “I.L.Y.” What makes The Rose special is that they are a well-rounded band consisting of four stellar vocalists.
The chimes of a clock followed by melancholy tunes signaled the start of their next song “Beauty and the Beast” where Woosung exclaimed, “Everyone here, you are the beauty!” What came as a surprise was when the band performed “Take Me Down,” as Black Roses lent their voices towards the final interlude. From one song to the next, the audience was captivated by the members’ angelic vocals and instrumentals.
The members took a moment to read some fanmade signs in the audience. Most notable was one that read, “I drove nine hours to sing with Woosung” which prompted Dojoon to hand a mic over to that lucky fan. The fan began singing the chorus to “You’re Beautiful” and earned a round of applause from the band and audience.
Woosung proceeded to bring up some big news, “We have charted on the “Billboard 200” at No. 83. I’m going to bring this up at every city we go to because it was all possible thanks to every single one of you here,” which was returned with congratulatory cheers.
“It’s a very significant number to us because our first song from The Rose came out on August 3 (83) and that song is the root of The Rose’s sound. That song is what made it possible for us to be here and that song is called ‘Sorry’,” he concluded before moving on to their beloved debut track. The nostalgic tunes of “Cure” followed right after with Black Roses singing at the top of their lungs.
Woosung took a moment to hype up the crowd and then remarked, “Black Roses always remember that The Rose’s hearts will be forever sour without you,” and at that moment the room aptly turned into a green-lit ocean this time as the band dedicated the song “Sour” to their loving fans. During the last verse, Woosung proclaimed, “We are The Rose and we f*cking rose you!”
As the show was coming to an end, the band wrapped it up with their performances of “Cosmo” and “Wonder.” The venue was in an uproar with Black Roses jumping around and waving their lighsticks for those final moments. In a celebratory manner, the members came out with roses and threw them into the audience, something they’ve done at every stop on tour. Dojoon brought out a Florida flag and posed with it for the group photo.
The show was truly a moment to remember. It’s fulfilling to see this band grow from their early busking days in South Korea to gaining worldwide recognition. The future is bright ahead for The Rose and we await what’s next in store for them!
Quotations have been edited for clarity and conciseness.
Thank you for this beautiful article of our boys. Hope you’d support them always. We Rose You🌹