D-DAY has finally arrived, and it was a night to remember.
SUGA of BTS, aka Agust D, set the internet on fire last week with the release of his first official solo album, D-DAY, featuring some of the biggest names in K-POP and music videos that left the ARMY in shock. Just five days later, he then made history with his sold-out solo tour, bringing the fire to UBS Arena in Long Island. I was lucky enough to attend his very first solo concert, so let’s dive into what was probably the best concert of my entire life.
An all-day celebration of SUGA
Arriving at the arena after my seven-hour bus ride to Belmont was beautifully chaotic – I was surrounded by hundreds of fans clad in a mixture of all-black and creative costumes, all carrying handfuls of Agust D merch and decked-out BTS lightsticks. The excitement was literally in the air; the streets were lined with a SUGA themed coffee truck as well as tables of fans selling their own handmade goods. Chalk art covered the pavement around the arena, sharing heartfelt messages from fans all over the world. There was even speculation going around that BTS member Jimin was going to attend the show and possibly come on stage as a special guest for the song Tony Montana. It was something I’ve never experienced before, and something ARMYs didn’t think they would get to experience again until the end of BTS’ enlistment in 2025.
The Setlist Left Everyone in Emotional Turmoil
That’s not even an exaggeration. The concert, which lasted about 2 hours, was filled with the most intense songs in SUGA’s entire discography mixed with soft and slow ballads that had the crowd (including me) in tears. And the whole time, Yoongi didn’t even show a hint of nervousness, despite it being the first time he’s ever performed live on his own.
It started off with a bang – SUGA was carried onto stage as a dramatic thunderstorm was displayed on the screen, and then the arena quite literally exploded with the start of his new title track, Haegeum. The entire opening was a nod to the new album: the video that played before showed a reenactment of the pre-debut accident that changed him forever, as well as flashbacks about his history as a member of BTS. After the killer opening sequence of Haegeum, Daechwita, Agust D, and Give it to Me, he thankfully gave us all a break with some fan-favorite chill-outs, even pulling out an acoustic version of the beloved BTS solo Trivia: Seesaw. That one tricked everyone – when he set up with his guitar (that was beautifully decorated with signatures from the other BTS members), it became the start of nonstop surprise songs.
But not without a VCR-lore break, of course! The Agust D multiverse-of-madness continued with a thrilling VCR, where the many versions of Agust D were at war with each other, staying true to the theme of his alter-ego. Immediately after, another extremely powerful section had the arena practically shaking – Interlude: Shadow, BTS Cypher 3 & 4, UGH!, Ddaeng, and HUH?! (one my personal favorites from the new album). I could go on all day about how he brought back BTS songs that have either been retired, never performed before, or not seen in years, but I will say this: it was the most euphoric, loudest 15 minutes of my entire life, and I’m sure other fans feel the same.
But don’t worry; we had time to recover for a little while with the three hip-hop ballads from his new album – followed by some jokes and confusion when the audience started to bark at him – before an emotional ending to the main setlist with Amygdala. The beautiful track was accompanied by the crowd singing along as loud as they could. But even after he collapsed (part of the storytelling, of course), and was carried off stage, we all knew that he would be back for an encore.
The explosive show ended with a deadly trio of D-DAY, the iconic 2015 BTS solo Nevermind, and, one of my highlights of the night, The Last. The perfect show came to a perfect ending with the nearly five-minute rap track that had been hinted at through the VCRs all night. He finished the song in the classic, bold Agust D fashion with a message for those who doubt him and the rest of BTS:
“Those who used to sell us out / it’s not that you didn’t do it, you couldn’t do it, sh*t” – The Last, Agust D (2016)
(https://genius.com/Genius-english-translations-agust-d-the-last-english-translation-lyrics)
And just like that, he power-walked off the now non-existent stage, leaving me and thousands of others in a state of shock. Literally.
A Legendary Start to a Historic Tour
As someone who has gone to countless concerts, the setup was changing unlike anything I have ever seen. By the end, the once-wide, rectangle stage was reduced to nothing as the panels were lifted throughout each section of the show, revealing new parts of the set that were floor-level with the pit. The encore served as a symbol of him stripping away all of the alter egos, all of the Agust D’s, until it was just him standing among various parts of the set as himself (Min Yoongi). The rapper said that this tour doesn’t signify the “end” of his Agust D persona, but more so brings peace to all the anger and chaos we’ve seen from him since the start of his solo endeavors in 2016. In my opinion, it was a beautiful showcase of all of SUGA’s inner emotions.
Perhaps the best part was that you wouldn’t be able to tell it was the first solo concert he’s ever done, with how happy and comfortable he looked as he made history surrounded by 18,000 fans and non-fans alike. It was a proud moment for many, seeing Yoongi progress from the trauma he wrote about in Amygdala to the hopeful D-DAY, reassuring all of us that the future is, in fact, going to be okay.
Although he left out some of my favorites from the setlist (justice for Tony Montana, 28, and What Do You Think!), SUGA didn’t fail to signify his power as a solo artist with a show that was both fierce and lighthearted at the same time. He showed a part of himself that we’ve rarely seen before – one that sings alongside the rapping and plays guitar – and the crowd made sure to remind him that we’re always cheering him on. Whether he’s on stage with the rest of BTS or embarking on his first solo tour, he’s always going to have that confidence that everyone adores.
In conclusion, I would definitely call this concert, in the words of Min Yoongi himself, a SLAY!