Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Crush is hands down the hottest South Korean R&B singer out there. Yeah, I said it. Come at me, Dean. (But really, tho, come at me.)
Fortunately for me, on November 18th, Crush and Millic were in town to melt the panties off of an entire legion of thirsty fangirls during their Los Angeles stop of Crush’s Wonderlust tour. Press was cordially uninvited, but I was able to secure a ticket to the sold out show last minute by simply selling a chunk of my soul.
Don’t care. Saw Crush. Worth it.
I did my speed racer thing into downtown LA and met with my connection outside the venue, made nice, paid my respects, and walked into the show just as Millic was spinning the most infectious beat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVeoaqmOVOY
The Belasco Theatre was packed with a mixed combination of men and women of all races, all crammed on the dance floor and in the VIP balcony. I wriggled my way into the crowd, found a pretty decent spot and proceeded to melt as Crush stepped out on stage in a vintage red suede fringe jacket and ripped black skinny jeans. Truly a pimp indeed.
Crush started the show with my all-time favorite track, “You & I“. Hot damn, talk about instant steam! He stood on the edge of the stage right in the center and hit notes that made my knees weak and my glasses fog up.
Crush then rolled right into the remix of Jay Park‘s “MOMMAE“, which had everyone shocked because Crush apparently got them hips. He did his little dance and finished with an introduction to the show, which was a quick hello before the music started for “In The Air.” He crooned a little bit while body rolling, reminding us that thick thighs save lives. Thank god for skinny jeans! As the second verse of the song started, we were surprised by the insanely talented Lydia Paek, who was singing live and dancing with Crush on stage. She’s fierce live, and her voice can transition from hardcore to sexy and soft seamlessly. When the song ended, he introduced himself to the crowd again, and he talked about his tour and how much he loved LA. He also talked about how much he loved his fans, making the whole place go nuts before he jumped into “Crush On You.”
This was such a hands-on concert. He communicated with the crowd between each track, whether it was talking about his time in LA, introducing Millic, or begging his impromptu translator to come out on stage and help him talk. Crush’s surprisingly deep voice demanded attention throughout, and he even took the time to show severely derpy pictures of himself, unashamed of an image as this genuine and goofy guy who just happens to sing pure sex.
Crush talked about each song and how they each had a meaning to him. He mentioned that “2411” was the bus he used to take to music school, and that even though the bus no longer runs, he remembers it fondly. Dude even read a handwritten love letter to the fans in English, making half the audience cry, then he slathered his lips in ChapStick, kissed the letter, balled it up, and tossed it into the crowd.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEG4z6tG-p0
Even through all of this talking, the show sported a heavy set list with such tracks like “I Fancy You,” “Whatever You Do,” “Don’t Forget,” “Hold Me Tight,” “Hug Me,” and finally “Oasis” as the encore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL8NzmMwtkU
I stood there in the crowd in my little spot with wobbly knees, and I suddenly realized that something I’d been dreaming of since I discovered Crush’s music had just come true. His live singing is so intimate and so personal, it felt like he was serenading only me. It takes a very special kind of performer to give any fan that feeling of closeness and familiarity, and Crush managed to pull that off.
Crush was on my bucket list. I can now die happy.
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Thank you to the legendary Belasco Theater for allowing me access to this amazing event!
