Concert Review: New York Turns Green With NCT Dream's 'THE DREAM SHOW 3: DREAM()SCAPE'

NCT Dream brought their tour "THE DREAM SHOW 3: DREAM()SCAPE" to UBS Arena this past weekend, filling the venue with their signature green light and boundless energy. The group is comprised of seven members (affectionately nicknamed '7Dream') but are unfortunately down one for this tour, as Renjun is currently on hiatus. However, the six currently active members, Mark, Jeno, Haechan, Chenle, Jaemin, and Jisung, put on a truly remarkable show despite the setback. 

The setlist was split into clear sections, each one portraying one of the group's charms, including darker, "noisy" concepts; bright concepts; and ballads. The way the group moved seamlessly and effortlessly through these very different moods showed off their versatility and diversity of their sound. 

Opening with the song "BOX", NCT Dream kicked off the concert showcasing their harder side, donning costumes adorned with buckles and chains, and barreling through powerful and strong choreography throughout the first section of the evening. Then came songs like "SOS", "GO", and a fan favorite, "Poison", that gives the members a chance to show off their more mature side. Beginning the show with these songs was a bold choice for a group that is typically known for their brighter sound. However, their efforts to branch out and take on a darker and more mature persona have not gone unnoticed.

The next few sections of the concert brought the brighter sound and look that many fans are accustomed to from Dream, with a break at the end of section two to include some ballads.

But the third section of the setlist, in my opinion, stood out as the strongest. Mid-show, I found myself saying out loud, to no one in particular, "this whole section has no skips!" Namely there is a run of six songs, some of my favorites, that was a non-stop marathon and turned the concert into a party. Beginning with "Candy", the group's 2022 release that is a cover of the 1996 track by H.O.T., there were back-to-back performances of "Dream Run", "Better Than Gold", "Fireflies", "Hello Future", and "Broken Melodies". I spoke to several people after the show that agreed that this was their favorite part of the setlist, some even saying it was their favorite run of songs on any setlist from any show they had been to. I have to say it's up there for me, too.

The group performed their final section of the set, which included recent title tracks "ISTJ" and "Smoothie", before leaving the stage and returning for a three-song encore. Each member spoke a bit before the final song, and specifically Mark commented on how much it meant to perform a show in New York, a place where he spent time living during his childhood. Jaemin's ending ments also left an impact on me, as he spoke completely in English, sharing with us that he's been studying harder to learn the language. I was definitely impressed.

I have now seen three NCT units perform live, having gone to NCT 127's previous U.S. tour and having the privilege of catching WayV's set at KCON LA last year, but this was my first time getting to experience NCT Dream live. I can say with full confidence that they brought their unique color to the stage for a fun and unforgettable night.