From festival, music hall to arena: The Rose's big year in three acts
2023 marked a big year for the South Korean indie band, who continues to reach new heights
(The Rose/Facebook)
I did not set out to see The Rose three times this year.
While many would ask why you would see the same band over and over again in such a short period of time, I’d argue that each live experience gives you something new — even if setlists remain largely the same.
My first introduction to The Rose was actually through leader/guitarist Woosung, who opened for the rap group Epik High in March 2022. I was particularly struck by his powerful husky vocals (some might describe it as singing in cursive). And most notably, how he used his unique voice to explore genres like R&B and pop —a departure from the pop-rock and pop-punk-inspired tunes The Rose have become known for.
During this time, Woosung was pursuing a solo career while waiting for his The Rose bandmates Dojoon, Hajoon and Jaehyeong to complete their military service. So when it was time for the quartet to reunite and announce their comeback album HEAL and tour later that year, tickets for their Toronto show sold out almost immediately.
Unfortunately, I was unable to make The Rose’s show last October. But 2023 meant that I got to see The Rose thrice, with each experience being quite different from the others.
The first time was at Lollapalooza, where the band headlined Bacardi stage on opening night. That day (August 3) also marked The Rose’s sixth debut anniversary, a special moment I got to ask The Rose about in an interview with GRAMMY later that month.
“Words can’t describe it,” Woosung told me.
“For us to celebrate six years of The Rose with I don’t know how many people, it was very meaningful. It showed how far The Rose brand and The Rose’s music has come. We’re just happy to be on the journey with our fans.”
(The Rose at Lollapalooza)
Unlike the many Korean groups formed by entertainment companies, members of The Rose met as buskers in the Hongdae neighbourhood of Seoul. For a band with humble beginnings, Lollapalooza gave me a sense of where The Rose wanted to take their creative direction next — utilizing imagery and visualizers in a giant screen behind them as they played their biggest songs like ‘Red’, ‘Sour’ and ‘Sorry’.
The Rose’s performance the next day felt more special, however.
Playing in Chicago’s historic Vic Theatre, the group instead opted to go back to basics in an effort to pay tribute to their street performing roots. They did away with a setlist and told their OG fans (1,000 in attendance) to scream out their song requests.
“We don’t remember everything, so if we have to deny them, we will deny them as well,” Woosung told the audience.
But thanks to the brilliant ears and musicality of The Rose vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist Dojoon, the group pulled through on their ambitious plan.
Fans were able to hear the group’s earlier songs including ‘Baby’ and ‘Beautiful Girl’, the collab between Woosung and PENIEL of BTOB. However, the biggest surprise for the group was getting a request to sing ‘Photographer’, which Dojoon noted was the first song the members wrote together.
(The Rose playing a show with an unplanned setlist at Chicago’s Vic Theatre)
“We really had to go back in our memories to memorize all [the songs]. But it was fun,” Dojoon told me.
“It was a back-to-back show in the same city. Obviously for Lollapalooza, there was a setlist for that. So maybe instead of doing the same thing over again the next day, why don’t we kind of have a little moment between Black Roses and our fans? We wanted to make something special,” he added.
Those performances in Chicago showcased two sides of The Rose when it came to their past and present. Now with their latest album DUAL and concert tour, the group expands on their vision.
(The Rose at Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum)
The album DUAL is based on the themes of dusk and dawn, something The Rose has always showcased when it comes to their music and tone. As Woosung told me, the dawn side has more “daytime vibes”. While dusk represents The Rose’s “darker” side.
At the time of our interview, The Rose were in the midst of rehearsing for their upcoming tour, and briefly turned on their cameras on Zoom to show me their studio space. It looked pretty modest in comparison to the big arenas and halls The Rose have booked for their tour. And they promised fans the new concert would be a “level up” from previous sets they’ve put together.
“It’s a whole new set with bigger lighting, bigger screens,” Woosung said.
“I think music is just not for listening, but it’s also for seeing and [with] that comes bigger emotions.”
At Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum, The Rose’s set begun with the image of a solar eclipse, a visual that also signifies the two interlocking rings that represent dawn and dusk on the group’s album.
The first part of the show represented The Rose’s dawn side, as the band sang happier, more comforting songs including ‘You’re Beautiful’, ‘Shift’, ‘Red’ and ‘Time.’ Throughout the songs, the lights turned from yellow to red, giving a feeling of the sun shining down at the crowd. And behind the members, imagery of trees and forests in the daytime added a nice visual touch to the experience.
The crowd favourite of the dawn portion of the setlist was undoubtedly ‘Back To Me’, the first single off DUAL.
With its upbeat tempo mixed with electric guitars and drums, the song is a true homage to the 2000s pop-punk songs you’d hear from the likes of All Time Low and Boys Like Girls. The song is anthemic and made for a concert setting. It goes particularly hard when you can hear the audience chanting the chorus back at the band.
The Rose eventually slowed things down as they moved into the second half of the concert, where it was time for them to play songs that represent the dusk side.
To me, dusk represents The Rose’s more contemplative, and sadder side. However, it’s also much more cathartic to the listener. A song like ‘Definition of ugly is’ explores themes around insecurity and feeling like you don’t belong. While ‘She’s in the Rain’ talks of feeling lost, alone and being in pain.
That said, things did not stay sad for long. The Rose picked things up back again with tracks like ‘Cure’, about the need for healing in ourselves. While ‘Sour’ discusses the period of being away from someone you love. The latter is the ultimate comfort song, and it’s particularly satisfying to hear it being played live in an arena filled with thousands of fans.
Toward the end of the concert, Woosung addressed the crowd, noting how the support of their fans have led them to their very first placement on the Billboard 200 at #83.
“We want to mention it in every city because it’s all because of you guys,” he said.
“We reached #83. That number honestly is so significant to us because our first song ever to come out was on August 3rd — on 8/3.”
The group then launched into their debut single ‘Sorry’ — “the song that started it all”— to close off the dusk portion of The Rose’s show.
While a heartfelt ballad like ‘Sorry’ talks of feelings of being alone following a broken relationship, the band made sure fans left on a happy note, finishing off the set with the EDM-inspired banger ‘Cosmo’ and stadium-ready ‘Wonder.’
In both Chicago and Toronto, I’ve had the chance to speak with a few The Rose fans — known as Black Roses — about what they love about the group so much. All mentioned that the band’s music “comforts” and “heals” no matter their circumstances.
And it appears that same energy from the fans is what fuels The Rose to keep moving forward too.
“We feel that we are not special as people. We feel no one else is special as people,” said Woosung shortly before the band left the stage in Toronto.
“We really believe that the music is special and it brings us together to heal.”
ICYMI, read my interview with The Rose for GRAMMY:
South Korean Rockers The Rose Are Ready To Show The World Their Duality
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