Concert Recap: A Night With Seventeen in Oakland

Say the name! On August 14, K-pop group SEVENTEEN visited Oakland, California, for the first time with their third world tour “Be The Sun.” The North American leg comes after their two-date stop in Seoul back in June and the release of SECTOR 17, the repackaged version of the group’s fourth full-length album. As the sun began to set on a warm summer afternoon, CARATs made their way into the Oakland Arena. The crowd excitedly cheered for the music videos being displayed in the venue as they waited for S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino to take the stage. 

“HOT” Entrance

A fast-paced show of white strobe lights kicked off the show, with SEVENTEEN being revealed on stage afterward. Red lights consumed the stage and the arena was well-lit by fans’ lightsticks, known as caratbongs. Accompanied by the sound of an electric guitar, the members ensemble at the center of the main stage and began with their title track “HOT.” The song is met with high energy from both, SEVENTEEN and CARATS. Pyrotechnic flames and even a flamethrower used by member HOSHI are part of the fiery stage. SEVENTEEN continued to dominate the stage with the songs “March” and “HIT.”  

During the opening statement, the 13 members introduced themselves, interacted with fans, and even shared personal anecdotes. From leader S.Coups sharing he had a stomach ache earlier in the day, to The8 making carats beatbox to his part in “HOT.” After teaching the crowd a “Be the Sun” tour chant, SEVENTEEN promised the show was just getting started. 

Ready To Rock

SEVENTEEN kept up the excitement as they moved on to the next part of their set. Seungkwan gave away the next song as he playfully asked the crowd, “Oakland, are you ready to rock with us? I’m ready to rock with you!” The LED screens onstage displayed endless amps and the sound of a wavering electric guitar seamlessly flowed into “Rock with you.” Spotlights flashed around the arena and sparkler fountains ignited around the front of the main stage, making it a scene straight from a rock show. 

The members left the stage after the song, leaving Mingyu and Wonwoo standing in the center facing one another. Fans anticipated a performance of their track “Bittersweet,” but were met with a surprise as LED panels lowered, hiding them from the audience. Joshua and Vernon emerged from the extended stage holding mic stands to perform their own track, “2 Minus 1.” Stemming from the heart of pop-punk from the ‘00s, the duo’s song was a perfect continuation for the setlist. Together they created an undeniably charismatic dynamic and successfully wrapped up the first segment of the evening with their heartbreak recovery anthem. 

Time To Shine

The following segment of the concert sees the SEVENTEEN members shining in their respective units. Starting with the performance unit, Hoshi, Jun, The8, and Dino performed a rearranged version of “MOONWALKER.” The song’s upbeat and electro-pop sound was switched out for a slowed-down and melodic version, which the members matched with emotive dancing and singing behind dewy frame props on stage. Shortly after, the track returns to the original upbeat version for the rest of the performance. They finished their segment with “Wave” on the extended stage, showcasing the quartet’s synchronization, sharp moves, and stage presence.

The vocal unit, consisting of Jeonghan, Joshua, Woozi, Dokyeom, and Seugkwan, took the crowd’s breath away next  with “Come to me.” A gentle and uplifting mood was set as the vocal team sat propped up on a staircase with green foliage, just underneath the projection of a tree under a starry night. Although there was no choreography, the stage allowed the audience to fully take in the incredible skill and versatility that SEVENTEEN’s vocal unit holds. After moving to the extended stage, the quintet basked in the spotlight as they performed “Imperfect love.” CARATs had been preparing for the sweet ballad, and their time finally came when Joshua asked, “You guys know this song right? Then sing along!” With the assistance of romanized lyrics displayed on the screens, the voices of CARATs filled the arena, briefly overpowering and serenading the vocal unit.

The final unit to take the stage was the hip-hop unit, featuring SEVENTEEN’s leader S.Coups, Wonwoo, Mingyu, and Vernon. Bright lasers beamed from the stage and the display was filled with vibrant colors behind the members as “GAM3 BO1” began. The hyper-pop, 8-bit song showcased the rap skills of the members, while they had fun with the crowd as they chanted in unison. Honing in on their powerful presence, the hip-hop unit also performed their track “Back it up.” With energetic flows served by each rapper, they hyped up the crowd one by one. CARATs absorbed the hip-hop unit’s contagious energy and ended the unit showcase on a high note. 

Here For A Good Time

Returning with 12 members, the guys of SEVENTEEN sported red tracksuits, some fully red, while others have a splash of white with t-shirts underneath. In a cute skit to introduce the next song, the members pointed out that someone was missing. Vernon entered from center stage as he sang a snippet of THE 8’s “Side By Side” leaving fans erupting in cheers. As the members interacted with each other, the short skit transitioned into their song “MANSAE.” 

SEVENTEEN continued to show off their acting skills between songs. DK used a deep voice to mimic a drill sergeant as he commanded the group and crowd to dance left and right, cutely giving away the next performance. “Left & Right,” kept the party going as fans danced and sang along. If one thing is for sure, it’s that SEVENTEEN are going to keep the audience entertained and smiling throughout the show. 

But don’t be fooled by cute skits, because “MANSAE” and “Left & Right” were simply a warm-up for the next song. “VERY NICE” is a classic for the 13-member group and clearly a fan favorite as the entire arena jumped up and down. Practically an exciting workout in itself, dancing along to “VERY NICE” is a concert moment unlike any other. Every person in the house jumped, shook their lightsticks to the beat, or shouted, “Aju nice!” at the top of their lungs. The performance ultimately left everyone in pure bliss.

In SEVENTEEN’s _WORLD

Silhouettes of the members filled the LED display atop the stage as wispy smoke covered the floor. Brilliantly illuminated by the lights, the crowd was met face-to-face with SEVENTEEN and “Shadow” began. On a more sultry note, SEVENTEEN performed “Crush” afterward. Being the absolute heartthrobs they are, the 13 guys flexed their charms and made some heavy eye contact with the cameras, ultimately stealing everyone’s hearts in the room. Sadly, the members announced that it was time for their last song. A brightly colored backdrop set the stage as SEVENTEEN performed their latest title track, “_WORLD.” Full of smiles, they danced along to the groovy song. The air in the room was lighthearted as everyone sang along and swayed to what they believed was the end of the evening. 

A Never-ending Encore

Taking the stage once more, SEVENTEEN returned with their heartfelt love letter to fans, “Darl+ing.” Geared up in their exclusive Be The Sun tour merchandise, the members looked cozier than ever. Keeping up the sentimental tone, the group sang “Our dawn is hotter than day” atop a set of bleachers on the main stage as they looked at the crowd with twinkling eyes. When the song ended, each member shared one-by-one their thoughts about the evening, their love for CARATs, and how they were completely blown away by seeing how many people showed up to the show that night.

After the heartfelt talk, they snapped a group photo with the crowd and decided it was time to lift the mood with “Snap Shoot.” As the members prepared to bid the crowd goodnight, they surprised the audience once more with “VERY NICE.” Well, they started from the chorus of the song and it never ended from there. The average CARAT is well-aware that SEVENTEEN don’t want to part ways with their beloved fans, and the never-ending “aju nice” segment truly encompassed that love. With an impressive total of seven bursts of “VERY NICE,” the guys encouraged everyone to jump for just over 10 minutes. After the final burst, SEVENTEEN professed their love for CARATs, promising to return in the future, and waved goodbye to the crowd until the stage panels hid them. The energetic ending was filled with the utmost joy, leaving both SEVENTEEN and CARATs basking in the love.

Blazing Trails

SEVENTEEN are currently making their way across North America as they wrap up this leg of their Be The Sun tour. The final stop for this portion of the tour will be in Newark, New Jersey, on September 6. Make sure to keep up with SEVENTEEN on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube to see all of their adventures on the Be The Sun tour!

Want more SEVENTEEN? Check out EnVi’s review of SECTOR 17, the group’s latest repackaged album here!