First Impressions: Shinee 5* Kyocera Osaka Dome* Sept 23

It wasn't the most auspicious beginning. My pre-ordered merchandise seemed to have been lost in a Paypal maze. My ticket from the draw didn't seem that good - section I8, row 12, seat 4.  The hotel room was the tiniest shoebox room I have ever stayed in. But it all worked out!

I got a phone call 40 minutes later from the global package coordinator that she had found my merchandise. The hotel was located a stone's throw from Dotonbori so I was close to all the eateries, bars and duty-free shops I could ever want. And the seats turned out to be incredible - on the dome floor, in one of the central sections. When I turned around, there was no one in front of me! That meant I was front row, when looking at the "crossroads" where Shinee spent a fair amount of time roaming around.

And importantly, it was the most incredible concert - the graphics, moving stage with transparent floor, fire bursts, live band, whole troupe of dancers, playing card confetti, fireworks, synchronized fanlights, birthday song and cake for Key....

Highlights:

- I loved the opening. With Gentlemen starting, a laser effect 'cut a line" across the 3 screens and Shinee emerged as if coming through from a parallel dimension. They stood there on an elevated platform for a while as we soaked in their presence. I also loved how the show ended as they went back the same way - through the same opening in the middle of the screen, gradually fading into shadows - disappearing back into a different dimension from us mortals.

- Onew was sorely missed. I appreciated how they kept him in the graphics and VCRs; how they retained his "guide" voice in his singing parts (no one sang his part) and there were times they shone a spotlight on an empty spot as if to say this is the part where Onew would have done his dance solo. OT4 were energetic but they were so respectful of his place in the choreo - in many songs, they just left that spot empty. They only brought in a dancer for the choreos where it was really needed - Get the Treasure, Sherlock etc.

- That moving stage! Shaped like a spaceship/aeroplane wings, when the stage started to move and we realized it was going to "fly" over us, we went crazy! Plus, the stage floor was transparent so literally Shinee were on top of us or we were under Shinee?! When the choreo started for Tell Me Your Name, we went insane. Literally, we could not decide what to look at!? Do we look at them in person with our unique vantage point? Or do we look at the screen where they were dancing to the camera on the floor? Choices, choices...

- The graphics were beautiful! More refined than Tokyo, I was especially impressed with Picasso. Splashes of Jackson Pollock in color, line drawings of the member's faces being gradually filled in with color. The members were going all out in the choreo - it was one of those moments where all aspects of their performance from their dancing, music and the background visuals combined together for an artistic tour de force.

-  I also loved their London musical style set-up for Your Number and Married to the Music. Dancers were dressed in a variety of costumes, it was a burst of color and activity. Phone boxes, outside of a shop. The members took it in turns to woo their female dancer Eri, we all started chanting "Kim Ki Bum, Kim Ki Bum" just as Key was about to step on his chair and flip it during his solo dance.

- Let's talk about the fanlights! Honestly, I was not going to get one at first but was persuaded it would be a great experience. Also, there was no line at the merchandise stalls 20 mins before the concert. We scanned our lights with our seat tickets before the concert and our lights did incredible things during different songs! It produced a whole spectrum of colors I did not know existed - orange, pink, blue, purple...different effects were created by timed sequencing, including the "Happy Birthday" for Key. It's a little sad to know that my fan light will never produce those colors again...

Shinee World IV cosplayers!

- Kiddie Shinee for Lucifer! This was genius. After so many reiterations, how do you make Lucifer interesting!? It was such a great idea to find the "next gen" and have them do that iconic Lucifer dance. It was super cute to watch and played with the idea that Shinee are the seniors in an industry where younger and younger performers are coming up. But with songs like Lucifer, Shinee's reputation is assured in kpop canon and they can kindly mentor the newbies.

- So the extras for Key's birthday - it did not disappoint. The members teased that they had something special planned in the first talk segment. They wheeled out the cake, we sang the birthday song. Minho and Taemin kept switching the "26" candles to "62". The fanlights flashed HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEY in bright colors agains the sea of pearl aqua. Key looked teary-eyed at one point but then Minho started "fake crying" dramatically on his shoulder.

*DRAFT - I'm still pulling together my thoughts but wanted to share what I had for now..*