Photo Cr. Charis Bagioki // KpopWise
The boys of xikers first debuted in March 2023, but you would never think that whilst in the crowd during their show at Shepherds Bush, London. Before the fun began, the atmosphere was buzzing with energy due to the enthusiastic fans lovingly named Roady. With two mini albums (House of Tricky: Doorbell Ringing and House of Tricky: How to Play) under their belt, the band have done a great job at building a loyal fanbase. What was touching to see was the waves of light sticks as well as handmade banners with messages for the members.
As the lights dimmed, the spoken word dialogue of The Tricky's Secret began alongside a fun animation that led into EDM sound effects. All these elements added to the suspense, and it was similar to a thrilling haunted house with the closing words: “We call it tricky.”
At that moment, the group took to the stage and sprung into action with 'Tricky House' (a personal favourite), a track chock full of loud beats and a bass you could feel in your chest, and it did not disappoint. The power put into the first track was impressive, and with so many individuals performing onstage - xikers are made of 10 members: Minjae, Junmin, Sumin, Jinsik, Hyunwoo, Junghoon (who is currently on hiatus due to knee surgery), Seeun, Yujun, Hunter, and Yechan, each one of them made the stage their own, commanding your attention, unable to look away. It’s an energy I’ve only seen once before, and ironically, that was during their UK debut back in November for Korea On Stage.
Once we were let into their Tricky House, they performed 'Doorbell Ringing', it was during this segment that rappers Sumin and leader Minjae, stood out, due to their stage presence and the speed with which they both rapped. With a chorus confidently singing out ‘Don't Kill My Vibe,’ it set the tone for what was to come, and they were only just getting warmed up. After finishing with 'Oh My Gosh', the first endment began with them introducing themselves one by one, much to the excitement of their fans.
After a quick outfit change, they moved into a well-received K-pop segment, choosing some much-loved classics, which allowed the group to show off their best moves. Split into sub-units they danced to hits such as 'Dynamite', 'Cherry Bomb', and 'Super'. Without a doubt, it was their company siblings Ateez’s smash-hit 'BOUNCY (K‐HOT CHILLI PEPPERS)' that prompted the already enthusiastic crowd to join in a huge sing-along. Next up it was time for the girl groups to shine, and a medley of hits followed such as ‘Kill This Love,’ 'Eve', 'Psyche & the Bluebeard's Wife', 'Hype Boy', and ‘Queencard.’ If that wasn't enough Hunter and Junmin descended into a dark and dramatic performance to The Weekend's ‘Die For You,’ which was performed flawlessly.
xikers talent is unmatched, and for a group that has a varied music catalogue, personally I would have loved to have seen more of their material performed. However, with their live singing combined with the intensity of their choreography, it would have been selfish of me to expect a longer setlist. They maintained a perfect balance throughout the show, and what stood out most about their choreography was the flawless synchronisation, working well as a team. Not a single person was off-beat or a foot out of place, you wonder how long they practised to achieve such perfected routines, putting on an incredible concert to watch.
A particular highlight was the stage lighting during the joyful track 'Skater', although simple, the lights reflected across the audience, creating a bright and colourful rainbow effect. It was as if they were highlighting Roady as the gold at the end of their rainbow, which was clear in their endments. They continued to mention how they didn’t want the night to end, and how excited they were to be in London, which was reciprocated back by the screams.
What was interesting to watch was despite being a young group, you could feel their enthusiasm and the love and care they put into creating a spectacular show whilst honing in on their skills. As I watched, it made sense why they’ve been dubbed monster rookies, in the short time since their debut they’ve made quite the name for themselves. I for one, am very excited to see what they do next.
Photo Cr. Charis Bagioki // KpopWise
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