On Sept. 14, neon green lights took over the Oakland Arena as NCT Dream dominated the stage for their sole Bay Area stop of The Dream Show 3: Dream( )scape. My friend and I were ecstatic to see them (and also take a break from our studies)!
For those who don’t know, NCT (Neo Culture Technology) is a K-pop boy group made up of multiple subunits. They are known for their diversity as artists not only because their members are from all around the world, but also because they’ve released music that mixes influences from hip-hop, pop, and R&B. NCT Dream, also called the “Dreamies,” has seven members: Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, and Jisung. They debuted in 2016 as the subunit that focused on more youthful concepts, hence why they’re called NCT Dream. Their growth as artists and people is reflected in their discography as their releases went from being brighter and happier to being more reflective, mature, and sometimes dark.
This setlist reminded everyone of their growth. Their show was split into chapters (differentiated by special tour videos they filmed) that were designated for specific themes and songs. When fans arrived at the venue, there was a huge box on the stage formed by drapes. As the show began and screams filled the arena, the drapes fell to reveal six of the Dreamies (one of the members, Renjun, has been on hiatus for personal health reasons), and their performance of “BOX” made an explosive opening number.Â
They showcased their range as they performed vocal-heavy songs like “Breathing,” hopeful pop tracks like “Hello Future,” and their more unique tracks like “ISTJ.” Of all their performances that night, the crowd screamed the most for “Yogurt Shake,” a lively and extremely addicting song.
There were also special moments in the show, such as Jeno making a shout-out to the Bay Area with a lyric change in “Broken Melodies,” from “Seoul to LA” to “Seoul to Oakland.” Other notable highlights include Chenle showing off his range in “Broken Melodies” and the insane dance break in “Skateboard.”
Throughout the concert, there were moments when each member had a chance to speak to the audience. Any time the members spoke, it was always followed by loud cheers and screams. While I know this was a time for the group to also catch their breath from the amount of dancing, singing, and rapping they do, I also felt it was moments like this that made the show feel personal and intimate.
One of the members, Chenle, enjoys basketball and has mentioned numerous times that his favorite player is Stephen Curry, so visiting and performing in the Bay Area meant a lot to him! On top of the sweet messages, the idols treated us with an encore (a usual occurrence for a K-Pop concert). During this encore, they made a heartwarming shout out to Renjun as they called his name and let the speakers play one of his lines in their mellow pop song, “ANL” (“All Night Long”). It was a touching experience to watch each of the members’ reactions to the cheers as they all got their moment to connect with the crowd.
This was actually my second time seeing NCT Dream as I saw them at the Honda Center in April of 2023. However, it was my friend’s first, and I was happy to be there with her! We both had an amazing time and hope the Dreamies will return to California (hopefully next time as seven)!
We may have left the show with muffled hearing, but it was totally worth all the memories we made. Even though the crowd in Oakland didn’t seem as large as the crowd in Southern California, the cheers and screams still rang in my ears and throughout the arena. They pulled off a diverse discography with style and passion. It’s hard not to be impressed by the talent and energy they bring to the stage!
The concert was truly a dream as everyone could tell the members gave it their all that night. If there’s one thing the Dreamies made clear, it’s that there isn’t a box they couldn’t break out of!