Sik-K had gone through 11 North American shows before coming to Boston. Outside of the Crystal Ballroom, Somerville, I waited to attend my first Sik-K concert.
Three months ago, my friend and I found Sik-K’s Boston concert a big surprise. A Korean hip-hop artist with enough fan base and funds to perform in other northeast cities besides New York City excited me.
As DJ SMMT sat behind the booth, Sik-K opened the stage with fierce rapping, laying the tone for the night. His autotuned voice filled up the packed venue. It was Sik-K’s first tour in Boston and his come-back tour from COVID-19. Unlike artists touring on a new album, Sik-K split the concert with unreleased songs and old favorites.
The audience shared Sik-K’s high energy for his unfamiliar tracks and reacted even more in demanding the releases.
Guest performers, HAON and JMIN, added different colors to individual presences. Mellow flow and contemplative lyrics were signatures in HAON’s music. Whether singing or rapping, HAON always used music as a channel of storytelling. Songs like “Barcode” and “NOAH” needed no extra stage elements. HAON was compelling enough with the microphone.
JMIN was on the shyer side, as only a second-year artist at H1ghr Music. The way he wandered on stage was fresh off the boat, but it matched up to his breezy lyrics and teen energy from his first album, “Homecoming.”
The concert’s climax included when Sik-K stripped in “Wet the Bed.” While the crowd winded down with slow romantic tunes, Sik-K ignited the audience in other ways. He is a master performer, even with water on stage.
The ending medley coordinated three distinct musicians on one stage — a harmonizing dynamic. “ACHOO (Remix),” “The Purge,” “GIDDY UP,” and “party” hit the crowd one after another without pause. It was a final burst of all excitement built throughout the concert.
All three rappers interacted with the fans to the best of their ability — taking gifts, phones (for pictures and photos), and bras. The security never limited the standing crowd but actively sent out water and checked on potentially faint fans. KOHAI, the organizer, did a great job securing the concert while granting the maximum amount of fun.
Live music needs to differentiate itself from streaming purposefully. At “Pop A Lot,” $150 bought me an experience beyond Airpods. Sharing energy with Sik-K, HAON, and JMIN through music was an experience of a lifetime.
