Concert Review: NCT 127 'Brings the Noize' to Their Milestone 100th Concert

K-pop group NCT 127 celebrated their milestone 100th concert last night at New Jersey's Prudential Center as part of their latest tour, Neo City: The Momentum. With members Taeyong and Jaehyun currently serving their mandatory military service, the group is touring as a six-member unit, with Johnny, Yuta, Doyoung, Jungwoo, Mark, and Haechan. However, if you didn't know you would never know that they were missing members. The remaining members held down the fort with no problem, covering Jaehyun and Taeyong's parts effortlessly and still filling the stage with that signature NCT energy.

The group is known for their "noise music", and NCT 127 did not disappoint in that department, giving the fans what they love right from the top of their setlist. The first section of the set consisted of songs like "Gas", "Faster", and "Bring The Noize", and the group did just that. Fan-favorite song "2 Baddies" also helped propel the 25-song setlist and brought anyone in the audience that may have still been sitting down, to their feet.

If you have only listened to NCT 127's recent title tracks from the past few years, you may think they only make noise music, but of course, that is not the case. The group proved that they're just as capable of performing a fun, brighter number with songs like "Designer", "Orange Seoul", and, my personal favorite, "TOUCH."

The members notably did not talk much, and their VCRs - the videos that play in between sections of the set at most K-pop shows - were very short and far between, making this show an absolute marathon for the group, who barreled through the high-energy setlist seemingly with ease.

Of course, there was a section of ballads, which gave the members - and the fans - a chance to catch their breath, while also showing off their vocal skills. They performed "Can't Help Myself", "Gold Dust", and "No Longer", bringing a range of emotions to the hyped-up audience.

Other setlist highlights included fan-favorites "Sticker" and "Whiplash", along with other notable title tracks like "Kick It", "Fact Check", and "Walk." The setlist came to a close with another more mellow section, followed by the final song, "Promise You."

As someone who has seen NCT127 perform before, with their full lineup of members, I was definitely intrigued to see how this particular tour would play out. But of course, they never disappoint, even with an incomplete team. I am genuinely impressed with the energy they brought and am always excited to see what's next for this talented group. 

NCT 127 will continue the North American leg of their tour with stops in Toronto, Rosemont, San Antonio, and Los Angeles, before heading back to Asia and hitting Osaka, Taipei, Fukuoka, Nagoya, and Macau.