DAVIDE K-POP

If someone had told me 9 years ago that I would be invited to attend I.M from Monsta X‘s concert on the 26th of July at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London for his 2024 World Tour ‘Off the Beat’ and write a review about it, I would never have believed them.
But here we are, writing and sharing my experience from just a few days ago. I’m still processing it… LET’S START!

What a night! I have been following (and loving) Monsta X since their debut. Not gonna lie, I am still listening to “Trespass” and “Fighter” while working out… But enough about me, it’s all about I.M today!

Monsta X debuted in 2015, and even if I.M is part of the group, he started doing some solo work from 2015 to 2020. He then released his solo album “DUALITY” in 2021, with the main track “God Damn.” Now, I.M has started his world tour “Off the Beat,” kicking off in Seoul and making his first international stop in London at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

The concert was absolutely amazing. From his rapping and vocal skills to his dancing, every single detail—from the costumes to the visuals on the screen for each set—was out of this world. My last notes during the concert were “mind-blowing.” That’s how good the show was.
I.M was incredibly excited to be in London, halfway to the concert, he shared that he was so thrilled about the world tour that he planned it even before working on the latest album “Off the Beat.” That’s how pumped he was!

As soon as I stepped into the venue, the first thing I noticed on stage was the setup for a live band. Oh boy… I knew from that moment the show was going to be lit! And – spoiler alert – it was!
When the band walked in, they were all wearing black suits, which was such a nice touch, matching I.M’s ‘Off the Beat’ latest album aesthetic.

While waiting for I.M, they played “Happy to Die” to warm up the crowd. Fans were going crazy!
Then was time for the big star to make his way in! I.M walked in singing “Burn,” wearing a beautiful jacket—half leather, half denim, with stones at the top. I was in love with that jacket! It reminded me of Monsta X. I’m not sure if it was an homage to the group, but that’s the feeling I got. While the song was playing the visuals on the screen were so beautiful too.

He then performed “More,” setting the perfect mood, followed by “Nbdy,” which was very nice. When he played “OVERDRIVE,” I was beyond excited—it’s my favourite! The performance was fantastic, with amazing visuals on the screen. “Bust” had everyone dancing and vibing on stage. I.M truly knows how to entertain his fans.

After this first set, I.M took a little break while the band played solo music setting the tone for the upcoming new stage!

“XO” was next. He sat down for this one, creating such a good vibe that everyone was singing along. The red-themed visuals on the screen at the back were stunning. He then asked everyone to move their hands up, and soon everyone was dancing together. He was very touched by that moment and explained the meaning of “XO” and how his life always shines with his fans. He then asked how his British accent was and mentioned he learned new British slang during an interview, using the word “lush.”

“Slowly” was a sweet ballad, with fans dancing together, waving in the air. The vibe was perfect for another ballad, “NVRMND,” which had stunning visuals on screen featuring a floating, colour-changing scarf. The band gave it that extra kick, creating an unforgettable vibe. “Flower-ed” started with piano playing—wow, it was amazing. Fans lit up the venue with their light sticks and phone torches, creating an extremely sweet and heartwarming atmosphere. The piano then closed the song with a beautiful melody, elevating the set and making it very touching.

After this song, they played a black-and-white video of I.M. The visuals on the screen were stunning, setting the stage for the next part of the concert. It was well executed!

“LURE” was up next and it was phenomenal. I.M changed into a black suit and delivered a fantastic performance with great vocals. He vibed like crazy with “Habit,” inviting the audience to sing along.
He then started talking and said London is one of his favourite cities, (He promised it was for real). He thanked the fans and shared his excitement, mentioning he decided to go on tour before the album was even made because he was so eager to hit the road.

“Blame” was such a vibe, with stunning visuals on the screen of broken green glass, followed by “Loop,” another vibing song, with abstract painting-like visuals at the back. “God Damn” had fans going wild! This was one of the first songs he ever released from his first solo album, and they sang along passionately. “Scent” showcased his amazing rapping skills and transitioned so smoothly from the previous song that it sounded like a single track. “Howlin’” had an amazing rock intro with galaxy visuals played on the screen.

For “Skyline,” I.M changed into something more comfortable—a hoodie and a vest with stunning necklaces. -I do love necklaces, you might have noticed my little obsession since I always mention artists’ necklaces in all my articles!-
His rap skills were on full display. He ate this performance up! Everyone was vibing and screaming as he showcased his amazing dance moves too. Before performing “MMI,” he thanked the fans. The crowd went crazy singing along.

And then it was time for the encore… We were not ready to say goodbye yet. “Happy to Die” had him wearing a vest with the tour logo “Off the Beat.” It was the perfect warm-up for the encore. The crowd was not ready to let I.M go at all! He was giving his best, and the fans were right there with him.”Dumb” was the last song, and fans went wild. Everyone loved and enjoyed every single second of it.

Everyone was sad to see the concert end, but I guess all good things come to an end eventually. He said goodbye and promised to be back in London soon.
In the meantime, you can catch him around the world with the rest of his tour, so make sure to grab your tickets now! Link.

Big thanks to the Hello Group and Sony Music Korea for having us!
Cover image courtesy of Sony Music Korea.