World tour by Infinite | |
Location |
|
---|---|
Start date | August 9, 2013 |
End date | December 14, 2013 |
Legs | 4 |
No. of shows | 31 |
Infinite concert chronology |
One Great Step was the first worldwide concert tour by South Korean boy group Infinite. The tour visited arenas and stadiums in Asia, North America, and Europe. The set list consisted of songs from all of the group's previous albums. Derived from American astronaut Neil Armstrong's "one small step" quote, One Great Step was announced during a press conference a day after Infinite celebrated their three-year anniversary. The tour's concept revolves around Infinite's fight against an oppressive government and resolves with the two sides declaring peace.
One Great Step ran from August to December 2013, which saw stops in 21 cities across fourteen countries. Infinite's stage performances were met with positive reviews and, by the end of its run, the concert tour drew an accumulated 150,000 attendees. A pair of encore concerts entitled One Great Step Returns took place the following February and March in Seoul. The final performance was recorded for a live album entitled One Great Step Returns Live, which was released in 2015 and peaked at number three on South Korea's national Gaon Album Chart.
Infinite celebrated their three-year anniversary on June 9, 2013. The following day, the group held a press conference at the Cheongdam-dong branch of CGV MCube cinema in Seoul to announce their first world tour. The event was broadcast globally on Google Online. [1] The concert tour's name is based on American astronaut Neil Armstrong's first words upon stepping on the moon, which was modified from "one small step" to signify Infinite's ambitions. [2] The tour's first promotional poster was unveiled at the ceremony, which showed Infinite walking on the words "One Great Step". The theme drew comparisons to the cover of Japanese boy group Arashi's fifteenth single "Wish", which displayed them walking over their name. [3] Writing for entertainment website Sports World, Kim Yong-ho felt that the two were identical despite a difference in coloring and the walking direction. [4] The press conference was subject to criticism for its poor operation. [5] Kim cited the event's technical difficulties, which included being unable to hear fans through video calls, and the host leaving without taking any questions as a reflection of Woollim Entertainment and Infinite's shortcomings for the forthcoming tour. [6]
Infinite's preparations for One Great Step took place at a concert hall in Paju, Gyeonggi Province and lasted approximately two months. [7] Conceptually, the tour is based on Infinite's uprising "against a fictional government that prohibits music". [8] The Infinite members rebelled against the "music police" which attempted to silence them. The storyline ends with the two groups declaring peace, allowing Infinite to perform music. [9]
The concert opened with a video played on screen, where the Infinite members were depicted as fugitives. [10] Once the video ended, an ensemble of dancers appeared on stage and executed a choreography routine utilizing laser rods. [11] Following the act, the screen opened as red lights flashed on stage. [10] [12] It revealed Infinite imprisoned behind a steel cage, wearing black suits with gold trimmings. [13] Bound by handcuffs, they broke free from the restraints and danced to "orchestra-like" music. [7] [14] The show commenced with Infinite singing "Destiny" on stage illuminated by lasers lights, proceeded by "Tic Toc". Infinite then removed their jackets and showcased a "sexy" silhouette dance sequence. [7] They performed "Paradise" in black tank tops. The group continued with "Wings" and "Inception", the latter of which utilized a dance routine involving chairs. [14] The setlist transitioned to medium-tempo sweet songs as they performed "Can U Smile", "Come to You", and "Nothing's Over" in sophisticated suits, standing behind microphone stands. [7] [15]
The production shifted into performances with an emphasis of the members as soloists and units henceforth. [10] Sungjong and Sungyeol sported "neon-color-trimmed" leather jackets as they respectively played a keyboard and deejayed over the track in their electronic music rendition of "1/3". [14] Infinite H, comprising Hoya and Dongwoo, performed the hip-hop numbers "Fly High", "Victorious Way", and "Special Girl". [7] [16] The music video for the album track "Inconvenient Truth" from Infinite's mini-album New Challenge (2013) was unveiled thereafter. [16] Infinite returned to the stage donning pastel-colored clothing to perform "That Year's Summer" with a sky-blue minibus on set for a "refreshing and bubbly" atmosphere and a vacation feel. [14] [17] Amidst their performance of "I Like You", the group threw autographed paper airplanes in the air. [18] They also descended from the platform to take pictures with members of the audience on the first and second floors of the venue. [7]
For his solo performance, L created a romantic atmosphere by wearing a "dandy" white suit and sitting on a bench next to a teddy bear. [11] He played an acoustic guitar while singing the track "Love U Like You". [15] [17] Woohyun performed his solo pop number "Beautiful". [19] At the first live concert, it was structured to emulate a musical with a "cute" dance. [7] [13] He also handed out flowers and rings to the audience during the performance. [11] Sungkyu sang the piano-driven rock song "60 Seconds". [12] [19] He was accompanied by a 14-string orchestra at the inaugural show. [16]
Infinite pivoted to emotional songs starting with "Still I Miss You". [16] As they sang the somber "Mother", childhood photographs taken with their mothers were displayed onscreen. [12] The group returned to upbeat tracks and performed "She's Back", "Entrust", and "Cover Girl" while navigating through the audience on the first through third floors. [14] [16] The singles "Be Mine" and "BTD (Before the Dawn)" were both performed with a live band. [11] A metal guitar riff version of "Come Back Again" played for Infinite's encore performance. [14] They closed the show with "Hysterie" and "With...". [11]
Infinite appeared as guests on SBS Power FM's radio program Youngstreet on December 20, 2013, and announced a pair of encore concerts. [20] Sungjong described the two shows' concept as being able to play with fans. [21] Entitled One Great Step Returns, the shows took place at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul. [22] Three previously unreleased songs were performed: Infinite H unveiled the mid-tempo hip-hip number "Alone"; Woohyun played the piano as he sang the ballad "Close My Eyes"; and the newly formed Infinite F—comprising L, Sungjong, and Sungyeol—debuted their track "Heartthrob". [23] [24]
Material from Infinite's final encore show was recorded for their first live album entitled One Great Step Returns Live. [21] One week ahead of its distribution, Woollim Entertainment uploaded a 30-second video teaser for the record. Mastered by Christian Wright at the Abbey Road Studios, the 2-disc set was released on April 9, 2015. [25] A live version music video for the album track "Tic Toc" from Over the Top (2011) was simultaneously published. [26] The album debuted and peaked at number three on the Gaon Album Chart, shifting 14,241 units by the end of the month. [27] [28]
Park Se-yon of entertainment website Star Today wrote that the "historic" performances were exceptional, noting that there were no lulls throughout the show. [29] In her review for Dispatch, Kim Su-ji called Infinite's world tour their "destiny", but lamented the simplicity in the stage design, lighting, and sets. [7] Columnist Jeff Benjamin of Billboard magazine commended the group's employment of their surroundings, noting that "the boys utilized every part" of the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York despite lacking the "same technology and stage platform" from stages in South Korea. He continued, saying that the group "further proved that K-pop acts do not need to fill out an arena to give a meaningful and visually-impressive concert." [30] Analyn Perez of GMA News Online wrote that Infinite "pushed the level higher" for the stage design and production at their concert in Manila. [9] Charmaine Cunanan lauded Infinite in her review for the Manila Standard , describing the show as "a perfect mix of amazing performances and a venue to get closer to the fans", saying that it was "impossible not to notice that the show was excellently produced". [31]
Ticket sales for the first pair of concerts in Seoul went on sale on June 18 on the online auction website Interpark. The high demand for reservations led the company's servers to crash and admissions sold out. [32] Infinite received 6.264 tonnes of fan rice during the first pair of shows in Seoul, which the group donated to Holt International Children's Services. [33] The group donated an additional 18.26 tonnes of rice to the organization that they received from their pair of encore concerts. [34] Infinite completed 31 shows across fourteen countries and 21 cities, drawing an audience of approximately 150,000. [35]
This set list is representative of the show on August 9, 2013. It does not represent all concerts for the duration of the tour.
Encore
Notes
Encore
Date | City | Country | Venue | Attendance | Revenue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Asia | |||||
August 9, 2013 | Seoul | South Korea [1] | Olympic Gymnastics Arena | 15,000 / 15,000 [35] | |
August 10, 2013 | |||||
August 18, 2013 | Hong Kong [38] | AsiaWorld–Arena | |||
August 31, 2013 | Jakarta | Indonesia [39] | Mata Elang International Stadium | ||
September 5, 2013 | Fukuoka | Japan [40] | Fukuoka Convention Center | ||
September 10, 2013 | Hiroshima | Nakano Sun Plaza | |||
September 13, 2013 | Kobe | Kobe World Hall | |||
September 14, 2013 | |||||
September 18, 2013 | Yokohama | Yokohama Arena | |||
September 19, 2013 | |||||
September 20, 2013 | |||||
September 28, 2013 | Bangkok | Thailand [41] | Thunderdome Stadium | 4,500 / 4,500 [36] | |
October 5, 2013 | Singapore [42] | Singapore Indoor Stadium | 4,000 [43] | ||
October 12, 2013 | Taipei | Taiwan [44] | Xinzhuang Gymnasium | ||
October 13, 2013 | |||||
October 19, 2013 | Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia [45] | Stadium Negara | ||
October 25, 2013 | Guangzhou [46] | China | Guangzhou International Sports Arena | ||
October 30, 2013 | Shanghai [47] | Shanghai Indoor Stadium | |||
November 3, 2013 | Manila | Philippines [48] | Smart Araneta Coliseum | ||
North America | |||||
November 8, 2013 | Los Angeles | United States [49] | Nokia Theatre L.A. Live | 4,086 / 6,882 | $406,850 [50] |
November 11, 2013 | San Jose | Event Center, San Jose State University | 2,342 / 3,004 | $278,680 [51] | |
November 13, 2013 | Silver Spring | Fillmore Theatre | |||
November 16, 2013 | New York City | Hammerstein Ballroom | |||
Europe | |||||
November 27, 2013 | London | England [52] | Hammersmith Apollo | ||
December 1, 2013 | Paris | France [53] | Olympia | ||
Middle East | |||||
December 6, 2013 | Dubai | United Arab Emirates [54] | Sheikh Rashid Hall | ||
Total | 150,000 [35] |
Date | City | Country | Venue | Attendance | Revenue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
February 28, 2014 | Seoul | South Korea [22] | Olympic Gymnastics Arena | 20,000 / 20,000 [22] | |
March 1, 2014 |
Infinite is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010 by Woollim Entertainment. The group is composed of six members: Sungkyu, Dongwoo, Woohyun, Sungyeol, L and Sungjong. Originally a seven-piece group, Hoya departed from the group on August 30, 2017.
"Be Mine" is a song released by the South Korean boy band Infinite. The song is the title track of the group's first studio album Over the Top, released on July 21, 2011. The song is also the second Japanese single of the group. It was released on April 18, 2012 in 4 different editions.
Infinitize is the third EP from the South Korean boyband Infinite. It was released on May 15, 2012. The title song "The Chaser" was used to promote the album. The track "Only Tears" was released on May 8, one week before the EP release as a prologue single. During June 29 until July 1, the group performed the song "In the Summer".
Woollim Entertainment is a South Korean entertainment company founded in 2003 by Lee Jung-yeop.
Kim Sung-kyu, referred to as Sunggyu or Sungkyu, is a South Korean singer and actor. He is the leader and main vocalist of South Korean boy band Infinite.
Infinite H was the first official sub-unit of South Korean boy band Infinite formed under Woollim Entertainment in 2013. The sub-group consisted of Infinite member Dongwoo and ex-Infinite member Hoya. The sub-unit debuted with their mini album titled Fly High in January 2013.
Kim Myung-soo, known professionally as L, is a South Korean singer, actor, and model. He debuted as a vocalist of boy band Infinite in 2010 and its sub-group Infinite F in 2014. He left Woollim Entertainment in August 2019 but is still a member of the group.
Lee Ho-dong, better known by his stage name Hoya or Lee Ho-won, is a South Korean singer, rapper, songwriter, dancer and actor. He served as a rapper and vocalist in boy band Infinite from 2010 and its sub-group Infinite H from 2013 up until his departure from Woollim Entertainment in 2017. In 2018, Hoya made his solo debut on March 28 with his first mini album "Shower".
Lee Sung-yeol, known mononymously as Sungyeol, is a South Korean singer and actor. He is a member of the South Korean boy band Infinite and its sub-group Infinite F.
Nam Woo-hyun, also known mononymously as Woohyun, is a South Korean singer, songwriter and actor. He is well known as a member of South Korean boy group Infinite.
Lee Sung-jong, commonly known as Sungjong, is a South Korean singer. He is a vocalist of the South Korean boy band Infinite under Woollim Entertainment. He is also the vocalist of Infinite F.
Toheart is a South Korean duo formed by Woohyun from Infinite and Key from Shinee in 2014. It is a collaboration between SM Entertainment and Woollim Entertainment.
Lovelyz (Korean: 러블리즈) is a South Korean girl group formed in 2014 by Woollim Entertainment and is the company's first girl group. The group consists of eight members: Baby Soul, Jiae, Jisoo, Mijoo, Kei, Jin, Sujeong and Yein. Their debut album, Girls' Invasion, was released on November 17, 2014.
Infinite F is the second sub-group of South Korean boy band Infinite formed by Woollim Entertainment in 2014. The sub-group consists of Infinite vocalists: Sungyeol, L and Sungjong. The sub-group made their simultaneous Japanese and Korean debuts with the single albums Koi no Sign and Azure.
Jang Dong-woo, commonly known as Dongwoo, is a South Korean singer, rapper and actor. He is the main rapper of South Korean boy band Infinite and its sub-unit Infinite H.
Top Seed is the third studio album by South Korean boy group Infinite. It was released on January 8, 2018 by Woollim Entertainment with the lead single "Tell Me". Top Seed was the group's first full album release since Season 2 (2014) and the group's first release since Infinite Only (2016). It marked the group's first release as a six-member group after former member Hoya left the group in August 2017.
A New Journey is the third mini-album by South Korean singer Nam Woo-hyun of idol group Infinite. It was released on May 7, 2019, by Woollim Entertainment and distributed by Kakao M. Having released two ballad mini-albums since 2016, Nam sought to expand his musical palette and facilitate his growth as a musician. He ultimately crafted a dance record with his stories embedded in the lyrics.
With is the fourth mini-album by South Korean singer Nam Woo-hyun. It was released on October 19, 2021, by Woollim Entertainment and distributed by Kakao Entertainment. After releasing his previous record A New Journey (2019) and completing his Arbor Day 2 concerts, Nam enlisted in mandatory military service that October. He completed his duties and was discharged in August 2021. He held two concerts entitled Ontact Concert: Arbor Day On shortly after his return, where he announced his forthcoming project.
Inside Me is the third mini-album by South Korean singer Kim Sung-kyu. It was released on December 14, 2020, by Woollim Entertainment and distributed by Kakao M. Upon completing his compulsory military service in January 2020, Kim sought to release new music. Facing delays amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he recorded music which deviated from his previous work, resulting in an electropop and R&B record.
Won't Forget You is the first single album by South Korean singer Kim Sung-kyu. It was released on March 29, 2021, by Woollim Entertainment and distributed by Kakao Entertainment. It marked Kim's final album with the agency after the expiration of his contract and departure from the label. Following a series of photo and video teasers, Won't Forget You and the lead single "Hush" were simultaneously released. The album peaked at number fourteen on South Korea's national Circle Album Chart and has shifted over 11,000 copies since its release.
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