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Posted by ObsessedWithKpop1,726 pts Saturday, May 20, 2023

BTS SUGA's Record-Breaking US Tour: Highest-Grossing Tour for a Korean Soloist with 155K Adoring Fans

The 'SUGA I Agust D D-Day Tour,' named after SUGA's first solo album, began on April 26 and ended on May 17. BTS Member performed at USB Arena in New York for two days, held one concert at Prudential Center in Newark, followed by three concerts night after night in both Chicago (at Allstate Arena) and Los Angeles (at Kia Forum). The US Leg of the Tour ended with two performances at Oakland Arena in Oakland, California. As the name of the tour suggested, SUGA showed two different sides of himself: BTS SUGA's and a more raw, intimate side in the form of Agust D, his alter ego.

According to Korean MediaSUGA completed his North American Tour with sold-out venues and met with more than 155,000 spectators during 11 performances held in a total of 5 cities.


SUGA performing Burn It with one of the guesting artists, Max

As SUGA has never performed his Solo Songs before, fans, who traveled from far away states (and often also from other countries), had an opportunity to witness a broad spectrum of the rapper's musical abilities as he led them through all stages of his life and career.

SUGA performing Daechwita, one of the opening tracks 


NME began their five-star review of SUGA's Tour with a powerful headline and described his concert as a show-stopping statement of artistic intent. The author had no doubts that the BTS member can fill the stage on his own and praised him for showcasing his rapping and singing skills as well as playing instruments: This might be Suga’s first solo tour, and though he’s used to being flanked by his six bandmates and sharing the spotlight (...) he looks instantly at home and unflappably confident. There’s not a moment on stage where he looks nervous or uncomfortable.


Ilgan Sports also shared the same opinion: It is not an exaggeration to say that SUGA's sincerity was conveyed, although it was not a full BTS performance, the opening of the concert hall that day was just as hot. SUGA filled the stage entirely by himself without any guests at the concert that day.


SUGA's professionalism and maturity as an artist is evident as described in Nylon review: In the three years he took between albums, Suga evolved as a songwriter and producer, and most pointedly, as a musician. As the first member of BTS to embark on a solo tour, he doesn't succumb to the pressure of putting on his own show; instead, he thrives. His charisma is abundant, even when he embarks on a stripped-down moment of musicality. He carries the finesse of a true professional. He calls this intimate stretch of songs "the soft parts" of the concert. Agust D became a vessel for the rapper's anger, unleashing a way for him to communicate his self-destructive thoughts and deepest fears on his own terms.


Teen Vogue focuses its attention on unique stage design: The stage production is minimalist, but it’s one that embraces technology. Nine panels complete a stage that will eventually disappear, one panel at a time, leaving less and less room for Suga to perform. The 30-year-old musician has been thrilling audiences with a full-blown extravaganza — pyrotechnics, a backup band, and one of the most unique stage setups I’ve ever seen. As his two-hour set seamlessly reflects on life, death, and survival, it has become clear that the star’s D-Day tour is equal parts rock opera and theater, performed by three compelling protagonists: the BTS idol Suga, his biting alter ego Agust D, and Min Yoongi.

According to The Atlantic: SUGA delivered a thrilling declaration of artistic individuality more than a decade in the making. His concerts exploded with frontman energy and auteurist flourishes. But his most striking achievement was embracing pop music’s empathy-fueling potential while resisting its dehumanizing effects. D-Day was the powerful conclusion to his trilogy of Agust D records, which delivered social critique and meditations on trauma, fame, mental illness, alienation, and forgiveness. In Amygdala he referenced his life’s defining traumas—the car accident, his mother’s heart surgery, and his father’s liver-cancer diagnosis—and how they shaped him (...). As the song ended he wore all white, as though he’d been cleansed, his catharsis completed.


During his concerts that lasted for over 2 hours ARMY could experience BTS SUGA through his official solo songs such as Interlude: Shadow, Trivia: Seesaw or a medley of rapline's songs (Ugh, Ddaeng, Cypher 3 & 4) and Agust D with Daechwita, Haegeum, Give It To Me, Burn It, Snooze and other mixtape tracks being included in the setlist. Meanwhile surprise guests Halsey and Max became a cherry on top during the tour that was already a thrilling and unforgettable experience.

SUGA performing encore tracks, Intro: Nevermind and The Last

Touring Data announced that SUGA made history as the Korean Soloist with the highest-grossing concert in the U.S. His two-night concert at the UBS Arena in Belmont, New York, from April 26 to 27th, garnered a revenue of $5.94 million, making an estimate of $2.97 million for each night. What's more, SUGA's concert at UBS Arena also became the highest-grossing concert by a K-Pop Artist at the venue, surpassing TWICE and Seventeen.


With several positive tour reviews, records broken on Albums Charts and Billboard Charts around the world, a gold certification in Japan, 1.3M albums sold on Circle Chart and a solid score of 89 received on Metacritic for D-Day, SUGA's debut can undoubtedly be perceived as successful.

SUGA performing an acoustic version of Trivia: Seesaw

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Betula
Betula10,209 pts Saturday, May 20, 2023 0
Saturday, May 20, 2023

The Atlantic write-up is especially good, I think. Very thoughtful author who paid a lot of attention to the details of this incredible production!

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ObsessedWithKpop
ObsessedWithKpop1,726 pts Saturday, May 20, 2023 10
Saturday, May 20, 2023

What are your favorite performances from the tour? I'm curious 🙂

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