CFG Bank Arena (Baltimore, MD)
05/18/23
Mamamoo, the powerhouse K-pop girl group known for their incredible vocal prowess and charismatic stage presence, took the stage at CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, MD on the second night of their “My Con” tour. The tour name is a wordplay of the title of their 2022 E.P., Mic ON, and the shows were highly anticipated for their fans here, as this is their first time ever performing in the States as part of their first world tour. With nine years as a group under their belt, the four members – Solar, Moonbyul, Wheein, and Hwasa – delivered a performance that showcased their immense talent and undeniable star power.
As the lights dimmed and the crowd erupted with excitement, a video played across the three large LED panels back-dropping the stage introducing each member and the tour, and Mamamoo finally emerged on stage. They opened with two tracks that perfectly fit the bill for opening stage songs – first with “1, 2, 3, Eoi!” from Mic ON, named for their battle cry before hitting the stage, and then with the song they debuted with in 2014, “Mr. Ambiguous.” Both songs, from opposite ends of their discography timeline, feature their trademark harmonization of their moniker. The quartet effortlessly took command of the stage, captivating everyone in the audience with their confident and magnetic presence that they are known and loved for.
After an introduction as a group and each member briefly introducing themselves, they expressed their excitement for the world tour and getting to see their fans (collectively known as “Moomoos”), and kicked off the rest of the show. Not uncommon for K-pop concerts, the show was broken up into several parts, performing a couple songs at a time before breaking for some talking or a video segment that played on the screens. Some of these breaks were lighthearted and funny, with an animation and skit to introduce “Taller Than You,” a fun song teasing each other about their heights (each of them being 1cm taller than the next), while others had less to do with the songs and were more about their bond as a group, how they felt about the show and tour, and the gratitude for the unwavering support of their fanbase. In one video, they said that all they wanted at their concert was simply for it to be with their Moomoos, as their online concerts during the pandemic did not have that and they missed the uniqueness of that energy. The genuine interactions and playful banter between the group members and the audience created an atmosphere of love and appreciation, fostering a sense of community among everyone present.
This kind of energy is easily felt among the members as well, clearly supporting one another as Mamamoo featured each member’s solo music for one part of the show by each performing a shortened version of another member’s song while dressed in that member’s iconic look. All four members are well-loved and successful solo artists, and as one of the relatively older groups still consistently active, they have had time to mature and find their own styles. Mamamoo is that the group is made up of four members that each have very unique styles (both in terms of their vocal style as well as how they present themselves), but they all work so well in harmony to come together to be an even stronger group. They ended the stage with a mashup of another four solo songs, one from each member, performing them together as a group. Each member had their moment to shine, demonstrating their individual talents while maintaining the undeniable unity that defines Mamamoo as a group.
Throughout the concert, Mamamoo flawlessly transitioned between their diverse discography, effortlessly blending genres like pop, R&B, and jazz. Most of their set were of their hits, for which they’ve collected many over the years, which they collected for a compilation album, I SAY MAMAMOO: THE BEST, released in 2021 full of remixes and re-recordings of their biggest hits along with two originals. They performed versions that were created for the compilation album, including fan favorites “HIP” (remix ver.), “Egotistic” (blistering sun ver.), “gogobebe” (rock ver.), and “Starry Night” (orchestra ver.). While most of the set was high energy, full of dancing along with backup dancers at times, light shows, and confetti/ streamers, they slowed it down for “Paint Me” and “Star Wind Flower Sun,” sweet and powerful ballads that showcased their vocals with everything else stripped back.
Over two hours after the lights first dimmed, Solar, Moonbyul, Wheein, and Hwasa came back out on stage for the final time of the night for their four-song encore. They began with “Travel,” a release from their 2020 E.P. of the same name, changing one of the cities that is shouted-out in the song to “Baltimore.” “L.I.E.C” from Mic ON and their hits “Yes I am,” the first song that brought them international success, and “Um Oh Ah Yeh,” a classic Mamamoo early hit, ended the night on a high. Having had a successful first tour through nine cities in the U.S., they continue to solidify their status as one of the most remarkable girl groups in the industry.
