Tomorrow X Together, also known as TXT, makes history for being the 3rd K-pop group to hold their solo concert in the biggest indoor stadium in the world, the Philippine Arena.

Their world tour, Act: Sweet Mirage, which started in Seoul in March, made its final stop in our country. Living up to the tour title, TXT, composed of Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Huening Kai, captured the Filipino crowd with a thrilling and visually captivating three-hour concert with a 26-track setlist that was so grand, it felt like a beautiful dream. Presented by Live Nation, the show was indeed one for the books.

TXT gave the best possible performance. Their production was very sophisticated, every detail contributing wonders to the magnificent end result. The show had all the glitz and glamor you’d expect in a world-class concert – the massive stage, the bursting confetti, the blazing pyrotechnics, the rising platforms, and the dazzling animation – Act: Sweet Mirage had all that and enhanced each one to create magic. Being there was a visceral experience.

The opening animation was nothing short of a scene in a real-life fairytale. The screen showed a carousel spinning with starlight flowing out like glitters and orbs of bright lights rising up amidst a floating castle, with the sound of orchestra swelling in the background. The five members of TXT appeared in their princely garb and it was time for the first song: “Blue Hour”. This was followed by heaps of their upbeat pop tracks “Can’t We Leave the Monster Alive?”, “Drama” and “No Rules”.

MOA, the official name of TXT’s fans, had their moments with their idols. Dedicated as they are, they were able to follow through the fan chants per song plus they had a lot of energy to go along with the whims of the boys. During “Cat & Dog”, they were filling out the barks in the songs. With their lightsticks called “MOAbong” in hand, they created a tsunami-like wave from the floor area to the upper floors. They also played a short follow-me game with TXT as lead initiators.

The fairytale setting took a darker turn by the time “We Lost the Summer” played, yet the crowd’s energy just got more passionate than before. Crimson lights took over during the angsty rock-infused track “Can’t You See Me?”, with flames bursting in the middle of the song. The Philippine Arena was bursting with life as the crowd sang along loudly to “0X1=LOVESONG”, “LO$ER=LO♡ER”, “Dear Sputnik” and “Magic”.

When TXT came back for “Opening Sequence”, they treated the audience to an enthralling dance spectacle. Spotlights shone on them as they performed an interpretative dance during the song’s introduction. This was followed by the melancholic “Anti-Romantic” and the two-faced “Eternally”.

In any concert, a setlist featuring more than twenty tracks is bound to be tiring. However, that was not the case for TXT. In fact, 26 songs felt like a breeze because they delivered each track with sharp choreography and smooth vocals, never showing signs of exhaustion. They also performed “Good Boy Gone Bad”, “Devil by the Window”, “Happy Fools” and “Sugar Rush Ride”. The superb sound engineering during the show also contributed to that. Another noticeable feature of the concert was the strikingly clear sound quality.

MOAs and TXT: “Underneath the blazing sun YOU and I have become WE”

As the final stop of TXT’s world tour, MOAs made sure to come prepared with their own fan projects. They did a unified banner project with the words “Underneath the blazing sun, you and I have became ‘we’ ” which was a reference to TXT’s song “Our Summer”. (Ironically, the sun was actually blazing on that day. Anyone who went would have felt the 40-degree heatwave in the afternoon until the evening.) MOAs also prepared glowing blue roses which lit up when the encore song “Blue Spring” was almost done.

Similarly, Filipino MOAs were lucky enough to experience one-of-a-kind surprises. For one thing, the members of TXT surprised Huening Kai with a birthday greeting in the middle of their ment. His birthday was just a few hours away from that evening. The birthday celebrant was delighted by the animated penguin on the screen and joked that it danced better than him. He also thanked the crowd as well as his bandmates and said that it was his dream to have a concert on his birthday.

Another unique surprise was the live performance of “Do It Like That”. The song, which is a collaboration with the Jonas Brothers, was only performed live during TXT’s very recent set at Lollapalooza in the US, and we were the only country on the world tour that got to see it live.

Lastly, we were the only ones who got an encore, after the encore. As the boys were saying farewell, almost ready to leave the stage, Taehyun suddenly said, “Because we received so many things from you, I think we have to give back as well” as they performed “MOA Diary” which is their first fan song.

Soobin, the band’s leader, was nearly teary-eyed when he thanked the crowd at the end, “I think, Philippines, I’m destined to love this country. You prepared so many things for us that we don’t feel regretful that this is the last concert. I enjoyed this concert more than ever.”

Huening Kai was also overwhelmed, “I’m so happy today. Thank you for joining this beautiful last concert of ours. We will be coming back soon. You guys will wait for us, right? Promise! We love you so much.”

“I’m so thankful that even today, you gave us so much comfort and love… I hope you cherish these memories we have together. Let’s keep seeing each other next year and next, next year. I love you guys,” Beomgyu said with a bright smile.

“Even this year, I’ve fallen in love with you guys. Thank you so much for decorating our last concert beautifully to the point where we were able to finish this concert really well. I’m so happy right now. I guess, I’ll miss you guys so much,” Yeonjun sweetly told the crowd.

“MOAs, you know you are the best at singing, dancing, cheering, and screaming for us, right? MOAs, you are the best. And our members were the best, too! I was really happy because of you. I’m already looking forward to our next concert here.” Taehyun said.

TXT’s Act: Sweet Mirage in the Philippine Arena was truly a concert worth experiencing live. It was worth the time, the effort, the travel, and the money. To put it bluntly, the show was magical.

TXT has outdone themselves with this concert. They showed that they are capable of conquering the biggest indoor stadium in the world. Their performance was undoubtedly top-notch. The show’s production is on a grander scale than most concerts. From the sound to the lighting, from the fireworks to the confetti, from the theatrics to the choreography, it’s a spectacle you wouldn’t normally see anywhere. If you didn’t see it, you sadly missed out, but look on the brighter side: TXT promised to come back! We’re already excited to see them again.

Special thanks to Live Nation Philippines!

by Sandra Mae Laureano

TXT – ACT: Sweet Mirage – Live in Bulacan – Philippine Arena – Setlist
Blue Hour
Can’t We Just Leave the Monster Alive?
Drama
No Rules
Cat & Dog
9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)
We Lost the Summer
Can’t You See Me?
0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You)
LO$ER=LO♡ER
Dear Sputnik
Magic
Opening Sequence
Anti-Romantic
Eternally
Good Boy Gone Bad
Tinnitus (Wanna Be a Rock)
Devil by the Window
Angel or Devil
Do It Like That
Happy Fools
Sugar Rush Ride
ENCORE
Farewell, Neverland
Blue Spring
Our Summer
MOA Diary