On November 1, the powerhouse rookie group xikers closed out the US leg of their 2023 xikers WORLD TOUR TRICKY HOUSE : FIRST ENCOUNTER at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. Despite debuting in March, the members are no strangers to the City of Angels. In January 2022, operating under their pre-debut team moniker KQ Fellaz 2, Minjae, Junmin, Sumin, Jinsik, Hyunwoo, Hunter, Junghoon, Seeun, Yujun, and Yechan were flown out to LA for intensive training. They then served as the opening act on labelmates ATEEZ’s THE FELLOWSHIP: Break The Wall concert, gaining essential stage experience and piquing concert attendees’ interests. KCON 2023 LA would then bring the team back to LA for a third time for their first official LA performance as xikers. Now, they return once again to LA, this time for their very own solo tour. Although Junghoon was absent from the tour, the remaining members still delivered a jaw-dropping performance that showcased their team’s strong dynamics and synergy.
As the lights dimmed, the members appeared on stage to the screams of roaring fans, launching into the powerful beats of the album’s namesake, “Tricky House,” followed by “Doorbell Ringing.” Despite the intensive choreography, the group executed each move with precision and ease. Catching their breaths, xikers happily greeted their LA roadY and introduced themselves in age order. “This is our very first time meeting you all for our very own concert, Tricky House: First Encounter,” Hunter announced. “We can’t express how honored and excited we are to share our passionate performances on stage.” Shortly afterward, they jumped straight back into the show with back-to-back dynamic performances of “Oh My Gosh,” “Koong,” and “XIKEY.”
xikers then presented a series of special stages that showcased their diverse charms. While the first chapter of the show mesmerized fans with powerful performances, the second chapter aimed to craft unforgettable memories for roadY. Xikers took a nostalgic turn with their dance performance to “Iffy” by Chris Brown. The performance held a special place for fans as it was the first performance track that the members showcased during their pre-debut days as KQ Fellaz 2.
As a special treat, xikers prepared a K-Pop boy group and girl group medley. Each member drew a colored ball from a box that formed the different teams — Team 1 (Seeun, Yechan, and Sumin), Team 2 (Junmin, Yujun, and Minjae) and Team 3 (Hyunwoo, Jinsik, and Hunter). The stage came alive as Team 1 charmed the crowd with their dance cover to “Dynamite” by BTS. Team 2 followed suit with “Cherry Bomb” by NCT127, which featured an impressive b-boy solo by Junmin. Team 3 then kept the party going with “Super” by Seventeen. Then all three teams united for “Bouncy” by ATEEZ, accompanied by the roars of fanchants from the audience. Hunter best summed up their boy group medley: “Do you know what 2 + 2 + 2 +2 is? 8 (ate)!”
For the girl group medley, the group delivered back-to-back performances of “Kill This Love” by Blackpink, “Eve, Psyche, & The Bluebeard’s Wife” by LE SSERAFIM, “Hype Boy” by NewJeans, “Queencard” by (G)I-DLE,” and “Cupid” by FIFTY FIFTY. The group added their own twist to the original choreography while still embodying the songs’ cool, sweet, and cute demeanor.
Moments later, Hunter and Junmin returned in sleeveless white tees for a sensual dance routine to “Die for You” by The Weeknd. Based on the ear-piercing screams and shrill “oh my god”s that echoed in the theater, it was everyone’s most anticipated cover performance of the night.
As the members regrouped on stage, they beamed at the fans’ enthusiastic reactions to their special stages. “To be honest, we’ve always dreamed of having our own stage one day,” Minjae began. “Where we can share our passion, stories, and so much more with people who listen to our music and support us.”
“And now, standing here today, we realize it’s so cool to dream big and go after those dreams,” Yechan chimed in. “Like freelance skaters!” On cue, xikers transitioned to “Skater,” a blissful, energetic song that was sonically cinematic with its dramatic arrangements and the members’ soaring vocals. The boys threw out finger hearts and other heart poses, and even a playful “love you” to the audience.
With the night drawing to an end, the members wished they could pause time and be present with their fans forever. They expressed with heartfelt gratitude that this would just be the beginning, and Hunter described it as the first chapter of their adventures together. Wishing their fans well, xikers displayed their explosive energy once again for the alternative rock track “DO or DIE,” which only seemed to grow as fans passionately chanted along to the lyrics. Hunter shared the band’s deep connection with LA, expressing gratitude for fans who traveled long distances.
The members left the stage, but the venue still buzzed with excitement. After a brief VCR segment, xikers reemerged wearing tour merch and serenaded roadY with the groovy number, “Sunny Side.” After the performance, Minjae humbly requested to hear their fans sing the song back to them, leading to the crowd singing in unison “The sun is coming up (yeah, sun, sun is coming up),” much to the members’ awe and amusement. For their final ment, the members expressed their utmost gratitude to their fans who came out to their first US tour. Hunter further reiterated the group’s deep connection with LA and acknowledged fans who traveled long distances to be at the show today. The sweet atmosphere was ruined, however, when Junmin playfully joked how seeing the fans’ faces was like reuniting with their girlfriends. The members immediately cringed, and Minjae commented, “Honestly, I [felt] touched but, Junmin totally [broke] my vibe.” Minjae continued to express their gratefulness to their CEO, staff, and fans and wrapped things up with a promise to return with more new music in the future.
With every ending comes the promise of a new chapter. To end the night on a high note, xikers burned the stage with fan favorites “HOMEBOY” and “ROCKSTAR.” The energy exchanged between the members and roadY resonated throughout the theatre as everyone rocked out and sang together in unison. As this chapter in their ongoing story between xikers and their fans drew to a close, roadY is already anticipating the group’s next trip back to LA. Until then, they will continue to support them in their future endeavors in this next chapter of their story.