Last evening I went to my first concert since the summer of 2019. South Korean hip-hop band Epik High was playing at the Fox Theatre in downtown Oakland. Suffice it to say it’s been a really long time since I’ve experienced live music in person. We were scheduled to attend the BTS tour at Levi’s Stadium back in May of 2020, but sadly we’re all too familiar with what happened to the world that spring. What’s still going on, no matter how lax the COVID restrictions are now comparatively.
Summer of 2019 we saw South Korean pop girl group Twice at The Forum in Inglewood. Kpop was huge back then but not nearly as big as it is now (thanks, BTS). Tickets to the 2019 Twice show were still a relatively easy get. The group’s 2022 North American tour? We didn’t even try. I’m quite happy to have seen Twice in concert before Kpop’s explosion in popularity on this side of the globe.
Being a somewhat indie hip-hop act, tickets to Epik High weren’t too difficult to get. In fact you could’ve bought tickets right at the show, should you be the type of person who lives life so spontaneously. The Fox Theatre seems to be the perfect size venue of the group. We sat up top at the mezzanine level with assigned seating, because we are too bloody damn old to be humping and bumping with the crowd down on the first-come-first-serve floor. Though I totally would for an artist I truly admire, like IU.
I have to say that acoustically, the Fox Theatre is a mix bag. The setup seems to be more suited for the EDM type of music. Songs with lyrics you have to make out will struggle to find the necessary clarity at the venue. It’s loud for loudness sake, which is kind of disappointing, honestly.
Of course, Epik High didn’t disappoint. DJ Tukutz, Mithra Jin, and Tablo sang many of their hits and quite a few songs from their latest album. I had a great time, though I think my ears will need a few days to recover from not having such intensity of decibels in a long time.
Epik High is here.