Picture this in your mind: It’s a Wednesday evening, a national holiday, and the streets surrounding New Frontier Theatre are packed with people holding tickets, headbands with their idols’ faces, and their sheer anticipation for makeitlive's EPIK HIGH concert. You could hear whispers among the crowd; some saying their last concert was in 2013 for a different Korean group, fans who are excited to watch certain songs live, and those who are holding in their excitement.

Even I tried to stay calm and composed while entering the venue and thinking about the show. As the lights dimmed, people started chanting the trio’s name: “EPIK HIGH! EPIK HIGH!” enough to liven up the audience even up to the second floor. DJ Tukutz walked in to claim his spot, followed by Mithra Jin and Tablo. We were welcomed with 'Here,' followed by 'Prequel',  and then I knew that the boys had finally arrived and set foot in our small yet lively city.

Retracing History With an Empowering Setlist

My favorite part about 'Prequel' is how the last verses feature their discography; as if Tablo is laying down a welcome mat for fans whether they knew EPIK HIGH a long time ago or recently. It’s followed by the smooth rhythm of 'Fly,' a well-loved track from their 2006 album Black Swan Songs. It’s easy to catch the names of a lot of EPIK HIGH songs because, apart from the titles being on the lyrics, the titles accurately summarize a song. 'Fly' makes anyone feel like they’re freefalling and, instead of fearing heights, they’re liberated from any burdens and worries.

After a brief introduction, they dove right back in their set with 'Face ID' and 'Rosario'  — both tracks strengthening their foundation in the music industry. With a hard-hitting rhythm and strong lyrics, they bounce on stage without any hesitation. Tablo reaches a fan’s sign that reads “Thank you for being born.” in Korean, and he pointed it to the audience to gesture the same message to us. DJ Tukutz even steps out of his booth to perform with a microphone on hand to take the space of any artists (from the collaborations) who aren’t present.

Tablo even introduced us to “The DJ Tukutz Experience.” He gestured as if he was turning switches behind DJ Tukutz, then he started dancing during their set. In my head, I couldn’t help but think “They’re true entertainers. They know what people want and are beyond happy to do it.” 

Epik High wake us up to face and rebuild a half-lit world with EPIK HIGH IS HERE 上 (Part 1) – album review

It was a treat to see them gradually perform songs from their previous albums because it shows how much their sound has grown over the years. 'BLEED' puts a lot of thoughts about growth in perspective; including fan’s expectations, career path, and how much of your sanity is on the line when you’re a musician. It brings a  powerful message and a rhythm that allows any listener to pause and think for a while.

Selected tracks from SHOEBOX, Remapping of the Human Soul, 99, and Pieces, Part One were performed as well. The overall vibe of the stage continued to lighten with 'Love, Love, Love.' People started to make hearts with their hands as Tablo and Mithra showed finger hearts as they sang. 

After the performance, Tablo asked Mithra to go all out then and perform full aegyo. It was a delight to see their banter and how they interacted with the audience as if we were part of all the conversations. There were times when Tablo translated DJ Tukutz’ words from Korean to English, then they switched languages as if they were hosts on a variety show.

They suddenly played an emotional song as Tablo proclaims “it’s time to say goodbye”, and the audience couldn’t help but feel sad that the show’s about to end and laugh because the background music was comical. He shared how he hopes this show takes away any of our worries the way it does for them whenever they perform. That, we may not know when we’ll see each other again but at least we have our memories and their music.

It was, then, followed by 'High Technology', 'New Beautiful,' and 'Don’t Hate Me.' You could tell they were about to close the show, but there was a hint of surprise as they left the stage and the lights didn’t change. People started chanting their name again, just like they did at the start of the show. No one was exhausted; we shared a collective adrenaline rush from their performances.

Tablo, Mithra Jin, and DJ Tukutz arrived back on stage for the encore and performed 'NO THANXXX' and 'Born Hater.' They collaborated with a total of 8 artists for these tracks and filled the stage with the same energy—with just the three of them. The lights danced, people grooved to their beat, and everything fell into place as if it was a Friday night and we were ready to embrace the weekend.

Paving the Way for Meaningful Interactions

They introduced themselves the way heroes would be introduced in movies. Each member walked to the front of the stage while their background music would either be an introduction from Marvel or 20th Century Fox. It was as if they jumped right out of a comic book or movie, but they’re a Korean act with a passion for meaningful and conceptual music.

Tablo even mentioned that they were in Manila for a show a month ago, but it’s different this time because the trio have all of us to themselves.

EPIK HIGH didn’t command the audience to do anything or cheer in a certain way. Their gestures felt more like encouragement. Who knew I would be dancing to a hip-hop group’s show? I was standing still for only a few minutes then started to move like the people around me. It was a liberating moment, and I knew everyone else felt the same way.

'Epik High Is Here下 (Part 2)' mirrors a reflection of the past, letting it flow to rivers of the future – album review

The transitions between songs and chats with the audience were also seamless; it felt as if it was all impromptu but carefully prepared at the same time. You could pick up which song they’d perform next because they would mention it at the end of their spiel; just like what they did before performing 'Super Rare'. From then on, the trio was starting to unwind as they played the intro of 'Eternal Sunshine'. It was a rainy day in Manila, but the song brought the warmth of a sunrise back on stage.

The way they interacted with the audience felt like home—Tablo approaching fans who held their albums, posters, and Tablo’s 'Pieces of You' up high. He picked up a lot of phones enough to fill anyone’s storage space with a close view of their legendary performances. More than 10 water bottles were opened to wash the audience, and they even gave away a plain white shirt with their fresh signatures to the crowd. Tablo even reminded us, “It’s just a shirt” and that if the person next to you was a die-hard fan, then go give it to them. He even joked that, if the audience started hurting each other for the signed shirt, they’d stop the show and retire immediately. Luckily, it was thrown to a section where a bunch of fans were raising merchandise for the majority of the show.

Watching EPIK HIGH perform live, after who knows how long, felt surreal. New Frontier Theater isn’t exactly a big venue, but they made it feel smaller than it is. It was as if we were at a hole-in-the-wall bar, watching them while enjoying a cold drink during the hottest summer days. As I was leaving the venue, I already told myself “I want to watch them again. I have to.” because their energy was infectious. The audience were music fans from the Golden Age of K-Pop and those who discovered EPIK HIGH because their favorite artists collaborated with them. There were no limits, because music is a universal language that ages gracefully.

EPIK HIGH announce 2023 All Time High Tour in North America and Europe – concerts in London, Munich, San Diego, New York, Toronto, Las Vegas, and more confirmed

It made me ponder over their direction: what’s next for EPIK HIGH? Which way are they heading towards? Wherever that may be, I would be thrilled to follow them and, I’m bringing their discography to keep me company. They’ve been withstanding the test of time; now, it’s our turn to continue their legacy by sharing their music with everyone.