xikers Tricky House Debut Tour: An Impressive First Encounter
Photos by Jean Libert
Last week, xikers started their first world tour, Tricky House First Encounter, at the Apollo Theater in New York. After performing for the first time at KCON 2023, xikers were excited to perform at their concert and meet their fans, the Roadys, for the first time. The group showcased their skills at the legendary Apollo Theater, which is considered a starting point for many famous stars. It was a perfect venue for the rookie group to embark on their journey to stardom.
The theater was quickly filled with Roadys, who danced and sang xikers’ songs as they waited for the show to start. The lights went off, and the Roadys shook the theater with excited cheers for xikers. The show began with a screening of "The TRICKY's Secret," followed by the appearance of Minjae, Junmin, Sumin, Jinsik, Hyunwoo, Seeun, Yujun, Hunter, and Yechan. Unfortunately, the tenth member, Junghoon, is still recovering from surgery.
xikers kicked off their performance with a bang by opening with their catchy debut song "TRICKY HOUSE." The audience matched the high energy of the song, and the boys impressed them with their strong dance skills, crazy energy, and stable vocals. They have already proven to be talented rookies in the entertainment industry. As they basked in the overwhelming love and support of their fans, their confidence grew, and they shone even brighter. After their performance of "Doorbell Ringing," they took a few minutes to introduce themselves and express their gratitude to their fans for attending the show.
Everyone was fully prepared and excited for their next set. During the set, xikers performed their hit songs "Oh My Gosh," "Koong," and "XIKEY." To end the set, there was a screening of the tricky mascot who was seen preparing his home for xikers and leading them to a door that took them to their music video of "Run.”
After the lights turned back on, the members emerged in comfortable and light attire. They then proceeded to perform a dance cover of Chris Brown's song "Iffy." The Roadys recognized the performance from their pre-debut days when they trained as KQ Fellaz 2. The crowd cheered even louder, amazed at how comfortable the members looked dancing with such intense choreography with such synchronization.
During their next mid-set break, Hunter clarified that their cover of "Iffy" was the first dance performance they uploaded on KQ Fellaz 2. Jinsik followed up by announcing that they would be performing a dance medley of various K-Pop songs. Leader Minjae commented that fans had already seen this K-Pop medley from a previous stage they performed, so they would change things up to make it special for the Roadys. The nine members randomly split into three different groups by picking a colored ball from a box. The three groups were:
Yellow: Yechan, Minjae, Sumin
Green: Junmin, Yujun, Hunter
Pink: Hyunwoo, Jinsik, Seeun
Yechan, Seeun, and Hunter played multiple rounds of rock, paper, and scissors to determine the order of performances. Yechan came out as the winner and chose the Pink Team to go first, covering "Dynamite" by BTS. Next, the Green Team covered "Cherry Bomb" by NCT 127. The Yellow Team followed with a cover of "Super" by SEVENTEEN. Finally, all three teams joined forces and performed "BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS)" by their mentor group, ATEEZ.
After a short intermission, Minjae playfully hinted to the Roadys that one of the upcoming performances would be "hot." xikers continued their dance medley by covering popular K-Pop songs such as "Kill This Love" by BLACKPINK, "Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard's Wife" by LE SSEARFIM, "Hypeboy" by NewJeans, "Queen Card" by (G)I-DLE, and "Cupid" by FIFTY FIFTY.
Hunter and Junmin took center stage after the rest of the group had left, ready to perform a dance cover of "Die for You" by The Weeknd. The duo's performance was a beautiful and dramatic rendition of the song, captivating the audience with their moves. Fans were left in awe, swooning over their strength and talent in pulling off a complex and modern take on the song. Roadys went crazy over the duo’s performance and cheered as they lifted their shirts, revealing their toned abs as part of the choreography.
The members who remained in the group came on stage to express their appreciation for Hunter and Junmin's performance and interacted with the audience. They thanked the fans for their support and gave individual members a shoutout for their contribution to the show. Minjae, the group's prankster, teased Yujun playfully by comparing his toned abs to mochi, a Japanese dessert that is soft and sweet. The group tried to persuade Hunter and Junmin to perform their cover again, but they declined the offer for an encore despite the audience's enthusiasm. The group interacted with the audience and provided fan service, which was much appreciated by the fans. The rest of the group hinted at their next performance, "Skater," and encouraged fans to look forward to it.
During the mid-set break, xikers expressed gratitude to Roadys and reassured them that this was just the beginning and that they would be back. They sadly announced that they had one song left on their set, “DO or DIE.”
As the lights turned off, the screen projector switched on, displaying a pre-recorded video of xikers reacting to their concert while mimicking their fans. They complimented each other's key moments and initiated a post-concert routine. First, they suggested drinking water and doing stretches to relieve body soreness, a wholesome gesture to remind fans to take care of themselves. The video ended with the members urging fans to cheer for an encore. Following this, the group emerged wearing their tour merchandise and performed "Sunny Side."
The members took a moment to interact with their fans after their successful encore performance. The Roadys were asked to share their thoughts on the performance, and xikers even requested everyone to sing a verse of "Sunny Side.”' The group then posed for photos and organized a cheering battle between the venue sections, showing their appreciation for their fans.
During the performance, Seeun's mic suddenly began to glitch, and his fellow members teased him about sounding like a robot. The group acknowledged the statue of Tricky, a famous musician, and Minjae argued that he was technically taller than the statue. Hunter then lifted the leader, adding some humor to the situation.
Yujun recited Spiderman's mantra, "With great power comes great responsibility," to express his love for the superhero. The group promised their fans that they would come back with even better music and work harder to improve their performances.
Hunter, speaking on behalf of the group, vowed to continue their journey and make even better music in the future. During Yechan's speech, the group surprised him by singing "Happy Birthday," as he had turned 18 the night before the show. xikers also expressed their gratitude to Sean Kim, the CEO of KQ Entertainment, for supporting them on their journey.
The group took a moment to express their heartfelt gratitude to the audience for their unrelenting support throughout the event. They thanked the fans for their unwavering enthusiasm and promised to continue working hard to deliver even better performances in the future, leaving no stone unturned in their quest to provide an unforgettable experience to their fans.
In a touching tribute, Minjae acknowledged Roady as their forever North star, a source of inspiration and motivation to the group. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause, their cheers echoing through the venue.
As the night drew to a close, xikers took the stage one last time to perform two of their biggest hits, "Run" and "ROCKSTAR,” sending the crowd into a frenzy. They waved their fans goodbye, took videos, and posed for pictures, creating lasting memories of a night that will be remembered for years to come. The group's infectious energy and passion for their craft left the audience spellbound, a testament to their talent and dedication.