Hailing from South Korea, it wasn’t long before Xdinary Heroes returned to New York to set the stage on fire once more. The six rockstars — Gun-il, Jungsu, Gaon, O.de, Jun Han, and Jooyeon — are back for their <Beautiful Mind> World Tour, covering numerous cities across Asia and the U.S.
Following the success of their Troubleshooting U.S. Showcase last year, the band launched their first full tour across the States. Fresh off their Lollapalooza performance two days prior, they kicked off the U.S. leg at Brooklyn Paramount — the same venue as last year’s showcase. This time, however, the seats were replaced with a standing pit to welcome a bigger crowd.
In a matter of minutes, the venue lit up with glowing lightsticks bearing the iconic “X” logo as the members took the stage. Jooyeon’s rallying cry, “Make some noise!” sent the crowd into a frenzy as the band launched into “Beautiful Life,” a Queen-inspired track from their latest album, Beautiful Mind. Jungsu’s piano notes seamlessly flowed into “XYMPHONY,” where he captivated the audience with an enchanting keyboard solo.
Many fans, known as Villains, had also attended last year’s showcase, while others were seeing the band live for the first time. Some even traveled from Chicago after catching their set at Lollapalooza. Gun-il expressed his happiness at returning, especially since the crowd had grown by nearly a thousand. Jun Han shared that they had poured a lot of effort into creating the new album and were excited to perform the fresh tracks for their U.S. Villains. Their opening sequence was just a warmup as Jooyeon pushed the energy even further, encouraging the audience to scream until they lost their voices.
“New York, let me hear you!” O.de shouted, clearing his throat before pulling out a megaphone for his opening verse in “FEELING NICE.” Throughout the show, each member had moments to shine with their unique talents. A clear fan favorite, “George the Lobster,” stood out with a slick fusion of Gaon and O.de’s rap flows, building up to Jun Han’s electrifying guitar solo that brought the song to its peak. Gun-il followed up with a rhythmic drum beat that had the crowd chanting along, setting up the stage for “Sucker Punch!”
A message flashed across the LED display, prompting fans to turn on their phone flashlights. In an instant, the venue sparkled like a sky full of stars for a breathtaking performance of “PLUTO.” While known for their hard-hitting rock anthems, the band also revealed their emotional side. With songs like “Good enough,” “Night before the end,” and “Save me,” Gun-il shared that they wrote these tracks to offer listeners strength and comfort. During their ment, the band performed a stripped-down version of “Good enough,” this time letting the crowd take the lead on vocals.
Gun-il teased that the show was nearing its end, calling it “아쉬워요 (sad)” for the Villains, though in reality, they were only halfway through their set. The momentum never faltered as the band tore into bangers like “MONEYBALL,” featuring a powerful instrumental breakdown that transitioned smoothly into “Break the Brake.” The stage was then washed in bold red lighting for “FiRE (My Sweet Misery),” their latest track, which explores the theme of twisted love. As the song title suggests, the band truly set the stage ablaze with their fiery, intense melodies.
In a typical Xdinary Heroes tradition, there was a “Villains Time” intermission — a fun karaoke session where the fans sang along to “Break the Brake.” After Jooyeon got the crowd going with some barking, the members returned for the encore. The mood turned celebratory during “Night of Fireworks,” with Jungsu beaming as he enthusiastically waved his lightstick.
The band gathered at the front of the stage for their final ment. Gun-il expressed his joy at returning to New York, fondly referring to it as his old hometown. The members shared their heartfelt thanks to the fans, especially touched by the larger turnout compared to their last visit. Jungsu added that he had worked hard on his English to better connect with the audience during his speeches.
Wasting no time, the band jumped into their 2022 hit “Strawberry Cake” before tearing into “Freakin’ Bad,” where fans eagerly shouted along to the catchy mondegreen, “If you seek it, why owe you.” After Gun-il delivered an explosive drum solo, he announced they only had one last song left. They wrapped up the night with “iNSTEAD!,” where Jooyeon demonstrated his heavy growls he’d been working hard to perfect. As a final send-off, the members tossed guitar picks into the crowd and waved their goodbyes.
The Xdinary Heroes concert was certainly an extraordinary experience that kept fans headbanging throughout the 2.5-hour set. The band has achieved a great deal since their debut, with this year marking several significant milestones in their journey. Although many Villains felt “아쉬워요 (sad)” that the show was over, it signaled what will hopefully be just the beginning of many more shows to come.
Quotations have been edited for clarity and conciseness.