‘Follow the white rabbit” beckons the title display as we await the arrival of one of the vital in style K-pop woman teams of the previous decade, Crimson Velvet – or relatively, observe the woman within the frou-frou costume and baby-pink platform heels. A sea of waving lightsticks, the must-have fandom accent, illuminates the way in which into wonderland.
Regardless of having amassed a whole lot of tens of millions of streams throughout three albums since their formation in 2014, Crimson Velvet have by no means had a UK chart hit and have solely carried out in London as soon as earlier than. But tonight, nothing is misplaced in translation. What units the group aside, and the way they’ve endured for nearly a decade, is a twin idea: their “crimson” facet gives scrumptious pop confections with helpings of funk; their “velvet” facet embraces maturity, vulnerability and hip-hop experimentalism.
The present that Yeri, Irene, Seulgi and Wendy (minus Pleasure, who’s on hiatus) unveil is a shapeshifting extravaganza that explores either side of their artistry to the fullest. The primary act leans into the “crimson”, layering sweetness with their breakout hit Ice Cream Cake, the quartet wearing bejewelled robes with backdrops traversing from a corridor of chandeliers to a cupcake manufacturing facility. Their vocals, whether or not they sing or rap, are seamless; their choreography is complicated but seemingly easy. Regardless of Pleasure’s absence, the present doesn’t undergo. The perfection is mesmerising: regardless that their music is the sort that will get you transferring, this can be a theatrical spectacle you sit down to look at.
Guttural screams welcome each reinvention throughout Crimson Velvet’s two-hour efficiency as they introduce new outfits that usher in one other dimension of their sound: welcoming their “velvet” facet with sultry R&B hit Bye Bye and the off-kilter entice of Psycho, they return sporting black-hued pinstripes, ties, crucifixes and platform boots. The group take prolonged interludes to attraction their viewers, whether or not it’s Irene’s carried out shyness or Wendy’s goofy try at a British accent, however it’s the music that actually connects: they present how fortunately pop and hip-hop can coexist, and pair them with a frivolity that allows you to depart your troubles on the door. Even after two encores, they by no means lose momentum – Crimson Velvet preserve us hungry for sugar, spice and all the things good.