On November, 17th, The Rose performed in Brussels as a part of their We Rose you world tour. A bit less than 2 years after their first concert there.
As the group was quick to point out, their February 2018 concert was actually the 1st date of their 1st world tour. Coincidently, they were also the 1st Korean act to perform in Belgium and are now the 1st ones to return to Brussels for a 2nd show.
Which provided a perfect opportunity for the group – and viewers – to measure their growth.
Outside the venue, it was already easy to notice that the queue seemed longer. Even passersby expressed their surprize upon seeing such a long queue at La Madeleine, the same venue from 2 years ago. Back then a curtain on the right side of the venue meant it wasn’t used at full capacity. This year, no such curtain was used. The group’s popularity keeps inreasing with each release, and it shows with the audience.
The members also jokingly said that a major change is their number of songs. They said they pretty much had 2 songs 2 years ago and now have 9 or maybe even 11. All jokes aside, it is true that their discography is now wider. While it did mostly consist of 2 digital releases back in early 2018, their mini-album Dawn and Void, as well as their single-album Red mean they had more personal tracks to perform.
All these songs show the group’s versality. From the sweet and cute “Candy” to the soothing “She’s in The Rain”, they also sing the more energetic “O.M.G.” or the rawer song “Sorry”.
On stage, they successfully explore different sides of the pop music with one constant: their fans’ voices to accompany them.
With his solo songs, and especially Face, Woosung proves that he’s also able to go to an entirely different direction. The track is groovier, and definitely sexier. Without his guitar in his hands, he remains as charismatic and moves freely around the stage and close to the fans, making it a special memory for many audience members.
Even though the other members don’t have their own solo releases (at least for now), that doesn’t mean they don’t have their own solo stage yet. Dojoon went solo to cover “Hold Back the River” by James Bay. Voice steady and clear, he has the audience all ears and captivated. As for Hajoon and Jaehyeong, their voices blend perfectly in a cover of Soldier by Before You Exit. None of them takes the lead on the other, both equally shine. But it’s a much appreciated opportunity to get a closer look at Hajoon, as drummers usually (and obviously) remain seated behind their drums.
Those two special stages weren’t the only performances that proved the group remains faithful to their love for international pop. They covered songs like Breakeven (The Script), Hey Jude (The Beatles) or Hollywood’s Bleeding (Post Malone).
And one last thing that changed is that Hajoon and Jaehyeong’s english definitely improved. With two members who have lived abroad (Woosung and Dojoon), The Rose interact with their fans directly in english. Which is, undoubtedly, a major factor in how the communication flows between the artists and their fans. Hajoon and Jaehyeong, who don’t have the same international experience, seemed to have absolutely no problem with conversing in english as well. With the fans and with the staff : the members made sure to thank the staff who’s with them on this tour, individually, by their names.
Though it might sound anecdotal, it’s pretty rare and shows the genuine attitude that The Rose have towards other people. Including their fans, but not only. The past two years, they grew, gained fans, released songs, gained confidence, improved their language skills… But what didn’t change is the group’s generosity towards their audience.
We’d like to thank MyMusicTaste for having us at The Rose in Brussels. Visit the website to request concerts of your favorite artists.
