So EXO'luxion in NY was yesterday and I told a few people I’d recount the experience for anyone that couldn’t be there. 

This was my first kpop concert and you guys have no idea that I’m so glad that it was EXO’s because now I really want to just go to every kpop concert that ever comes here.  It’s an amazing feeling to be surrounded by people in your fandom that get all the jokes you make when you’re bored and standing in line or understand how freaking excited you are to see these boys that have made such an impression in your life.

In other words, EXO-L is awesome and the silver ocean was beautiful last night.

The concert itself was amazing once it started (there was about a fifteen minute delay as people were still coming in.)  My seat on the mezzanine level in the very last row of my section but luckily I was able to spot a seat right in the front that no one was using and I made a stealthy seat change. 

They started out with Overdose and I think I cried because it really hit me like “Holy , that’s EXO right there.  Those are the boys I have obsessed over for four years.  They live halfway around the world and they’re actually here.”  Basically I sobbed my way through Overdose because I couldn’t get over how amazing they look in real life.  Pictures do not do them justice, guys.  They are like literally perfect human beings.

I don’t think I can go through every song in detail, but this was basically the full setlist, including VCR’s and talk times:

Opening VCR

Overdose

History

MAMA

Talk Time #1

Don’t Go

Playboy

Baby Don’t Cry

My Answer

VCR (My Turn to Cry)

The Star

Exodus

VCR (EXO as adorable coffee making minions)

Peter Pan

XOXO

Lucky

3.6.5.

Talk Time #2

Christmas Day

First Snow

Miracles in December

Full Moon (aka the song that doesn’t have an official name)

Machine

Drop That

Let Out the Beast

Run

VCR (EXO doing a dance break on EXOplanet)

Call Me Baby

Growl

Talk Time #3

Love Me Right

VCR (the intro they usually do for Promise)

Sing For You

Talk Time #4

Unfair

And even now that I’ve listed everything out, I can see that they sang and danced a lot but I was super disappointed when it was over.  I wanted it to go on forever lol

I cannot stress how good they are at performing.  Their live performances sound like studio versions. Despite with all the variations on the adlbs, I was just blown away by how they rarely ever sounded even a little bit off when it came to the hitting the notes that mattered.  They really focused on making sure they could sing their hearts out.  Kyungsoo in particular had a very concentrated look on his face during songs like Baby Don’t Cry and My Answer. 

The dancing was everything I wanted and more.  I don’t think EXO stood still for a minute last night.  Every move was in sync and I just sat there unable to look away because I was just freaking out.  I’ve seen them do those moves on my computer screen but to see them do it live was a dream come true, for real.  And let me tell you guys, Kim Jongin was IN IT TO WIN IT last night.  I have never seen someone dance like that before.  I was crying and sobbing.  The solos that he and Sehun have in Baby Don’t Cry is like watching the realm of heaven come down to earth.

The overall energy of the crowd was amazing.  I think everyone had fun singing along and doing the fan chants to pretty much every single song that was performed.  Every time Yixing showed up in a VCR, the crowd went wild and that kind of warmed my heart because even though he wasn’t there, he was very much missed. 

I think EXO had fun too.  They seemed pretty happy to be there, though some of them looked a little tired, which is to be expected since they’re always busy.  They were just a little bit awkward at the talk times at which Chanyeol and Suho did most of the talking.  I think they were a little reserved because they were trying their best to speak English and that might have lessened their confidence in speaking up. 

Chanyeol and Xiumin tho.  I think they drank several packs of Red Bull or something before the show because they were downright spastic.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone as energetic and smiley as they were last night.  Chanyeol would not stop and probably had a great time provoking Kyungsoo btw.  There were quite a few BaekChen (hugging and looking at each other) moments when they sang during The Star and Exodus. 

Xiumin kind of flailed around in between the choreography during every song.  He also raps during Full Moon and even makes swag look cute.  It was hilarious but really adorable. A bunch of confetti blasts out during Run and Chanyeol literally could not stop playing with it it.  He would pick it up and throw it on the air and it would land mostly on Kyungsoo, who seemed half amused/half annoyed by it.  I got to witness a glimpse of Satansoo.  My life is complete.  Chanyeol and Jongin then proceeded to lay down on stage and make confetti angels.  Suho’s face was just like “Wtf you doing Chanyeol” and so he called him out to talk to the audience.

Oh there was this one moment in Peter Pan we thought Chanyeol was going to rip Suho’s shirt off and then he tried to make Xiumin and Chen kiss. 

Even when they do songs with simple choreography like Peter Pan and Unfair, they look perfect.

Another thing to mention is during the block when they did Full Moon, Drop That, Machine, Let Out the Beast, and Run; EXO were wearing suits like black pants, white shirts and ties.  And then Kim Jongin just HAS to wear a white baseball cap as an accessory and I think I literally died at how hot he looked.  The amount of times that man smirked and brushed his hair back to be y was ridiculous and I ate it up like the thirsty hoe I am.

Baekhyun was a little the entire time like he usually is.

Everyone chanted “We are one” during the Promise VCR and I cried yet again (I did a lot of crying last night) lol.

Sehun is the most adorable human being in the world when he smiles.

Growl made everyone go nuts.  The fan chants were legit.

The venue seemed to love Chanyeol, Chen and Kai the most judging by the loudness of the screams.

I’m going off of my memory for talking about the Talk Times and I’m going to do the best I can because I legit paid hard attention to the talk times because just watching them interact with the crowd and each other is like my favorite thing about EXO.  Talk Time #1 was basically EXO standing in a line, introducing themselves and screaming that they were in New York (even though we were technically in New Jersey) but whatever.  They did the whole “We are one, we are EXO” thing I cried because again, I’ve only ever seen that introduction on my computer screen and that introduction is kind of a big deal for the fandom. 

Talk Time #2: Suho kept calling us beautiful.  This was the part in which they talked about going to around the city the day before.  Chanyeol says he went to Time Square and the Disney store.  He was like “I love Elsa.” and then Baekhyun started singing Let It Go and then Chanyeol was like “okay bye” as if he was singing Do You Want to Build a Snowman?  IDK WITH THESE GUYS ANYMORE.  Chanyeol was fascinated by eating a hot dog from a street vendor. They were amazed by how many people were around Times Square.  He also told everyone that they saw the Empire State Building and then Baekhyun was like “thank you Chanyeol” and Suho asked Sehun what he did the night before.  Sehun just liked walking around Times Square and he said that there were a lot of things to see and that he wanted to live here.  Chanyeol mocked Suho’s dorkiness a little bit.  Suho did that thing he usually does when he talks about safety of the fans.  Suho asked us if we listened to the Sing For You album.  Then they transitioned to all the songs from the first Christmas album on their setlist.

Talk Time #3: Suho told us the show was coming to an end.  Chanyeol looked really tired after the confetti angels and Suho was like “Are you okay, Chanyeol?” and he was like “I’m fine, how are you.” (All in English) Then they went on to say how they feel bad because it’s their last day in North America. Baekhyun said he didn’t expect there to be so many fans in America and that he wants to come back soon.  Then they told all the fanboys to scream and they were shocked by the response and said it sounded like the army.

Talk Time #4 was basically about them saying that the show was going to end.  They said that we shouldn’t be sad and they promised to come back soon (i’m giving you my death stare SM).  EXO went around and basically took turns saying how much they liked touring in North America and it was an unforgettable experience. (Baekhyun wore ridiculous looking bunny ears during this).  Chen told us all that we were as beautiful as skyscrapers (has the boy ever seen the skyscrapers???) They hoped that the next time they came, they’ll be able to meet more fans.  Xiumin said he likes the shopping and sightseeing in NYC, and then in English he chose to call us hot, perfect, beautiful, and lovely.  Then Kai was like, “You guys are the best” in Korean and Baekhyun was like “You rock!” in English.  Baekhyun said some things after that but I was distracted by the bunny ears.  I remember he sang something about New York.  Sehun just complimented how beautiful New York was and how the concert will be memorable.  Suho was the last one to speak and he said he appreciated all of us coming out and for loving EXO’s music even thought it’s in Korean.

They took a picture with the audience and Baekhyun wanted everyone to do a y pose but then Chanyeol and Xiumin were like “cutie y” and I really have no idea how these boys are adults at this point.

At the very end, Suho made us say One at the end of We Are One and then Saranghaja after they said EXO. 

And then it was over.  I went home.

Things I was disappointed by:

The translator kind of messed things up and from the very little Korean I understand, she seemed not to know how to translate a few phrases accurately.  I’m not sure we fully understood what they were saying at times.  But I’d like to give a lot of credit to EXO because they did their best to speak as much English as possible, especially Suho.  I think I had a heart attack tbh because usually when we see them speaking English it’s rare.  Like international EXO-L’s literally go crazy when we see them speak other language when they’re on Korean variety shows and stuff so to see them do it some much made me kind of emotional.

They didn’t perform El Dorado or Promise.  I can understand why they wouldn’t do El Dorado because the stage might not have been right for that type of performance.  Promise not being performed was a blow to the heart but it wasn’t that bad.  I got to see Sing For You and Unfair live, and those are just as amazing.  I honestly don’t mind that much because being in EXO’s presence was enough for me to live a happy life.

And I think that’s basically all I have to say about it.  If you guys have any questions, let me know. :D