The Verizon Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) Tour is an annual tour that brings top Asian artists to the United States for a series of performances. Past artists to dominate the Verizon APAHM Tour stage include Vanness Wu, Evonne Hsu, JJ Lin, Mike Relm, Epik High, Far East Movement and Se7en.
This year, Korean-American singer, songwriter, producer, and dancer, Jay Park is headlining the Verizon APAHM Tour. Having just finished his Asia tour, kicking it off to a sold out crowd at the Olympic Hall in Seoul, Jay Park recently made his comeback in Korea with the release of his full length album, "New Breed,” and prior to the APAHM tours’ launch, he released his free mixtape, “FRESH AIR: BREATHE IT” specifically for the tour.
The APAHM tour kicked off on May 19th in Washington D.C. at the Filmore Silver Spring to a wonderful crowd. The next stop of the tour brought the crew to New York City on the 20th at the Best Buy Theatre. With DJ KHo leading the show throughout the night, comedian Joey Guila took the stage as emcee, warming up the crowd with his comedic tribute to Asian culture.
Viennie V. was the first musical artist to grace the stage that night. She took YouTube by storm back in 2011 with her music video for “Nightmare or Dream,” immediately becoming a YouTube sensation. In the beginning of May, she released her latest EP, “For You,” which has brought her national attention, reaching #47 on Billboard’s “Airplay Chart”. In addition to performing the chart topper, Viennie V. rallied the crowd, inviting their participation in singing “(Gonna Party) All Night Long”. Keeping the crowd energized, Viennie V. continued with a medley of today’s top Pop hits, including Maroon 5’s “Moves like Jagger,” Far East Movement’s “Like a G6,” LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” and “Sexy and I Know It,” Rihanna’s “We Found Love,” Dev’s “Dancing in the Dark,” and many others. Closing out her segment, Viennie performed “Remember Me,” “I’ll Hold My Breath” and “Could This Be Love,” from her latest EP.
Back on the stage, Joey Guila worked up the audience for the next event – a dance competition. Choosing volunteers from the audience, the contestants showed off their amazing skills, once again energizing the crowd.
Next up was Dumbfoundead, a renowned Korean American MC and rapper who has performed with many other notable artists, including Epik High, Jin, Traphik, Decipher, Drunken Tiger and Jay Park. Up first was his performance of “Bubba Kush,” followed by the powerful “Bullets of Truth” and his remix of Bruno Mars and Damian Marley’s “Liquor Store Blues.” Dedicating the next song to the female audience, Dumbfoundead performed “She Don’t Care.” Lightening the mood, special guests Decipher and Lyricks joined to perform “Cell Phone,” which was followed by “Bitch.” With Mother’s Day having recently passed, Dumbfoundead took a moment out to thank his mother and praise her dedication and efforts in raising her children, leading into “Are We There Yet?”. Closing the segment, Manifest, Lyricks, JL, Decipher and Rekstizzy joined Dumbfoundead in a special stage, amazing the audience and proving why they are America’s top Asian American hip-hop artists.
After a 10-minute intermission, it was finally time for the star of the night. The crowd cheered with anticipation as the teaser video of Jay Park’s hit songs was projected on the screen. Making his entrance with “Know Your Name,” Jay Park drove the fans wild with his charm and slick moves as the audience sang along to his title song from his first full length solo album, “New Breed”. Being his first time touring the States, Jay Park thanked fans for their patience and dedication since they lined up at the venue from the early morning. The next performances up were “I Got Your Back” and “Star,” also from “New Breed.”
Prior to the launch of the tour, Jay Park released an English mix tape, “FRESH AIR: BREATHE IT,”as thanks to his English-speaking fans. The mixtape is available free for download. Introducing the album, he performed a sensuous “Do What We Do”, seducing fans. Riling up the audience, he then performed “Up and Down,” “Clap,” and “Enjoy the Show.”
Jay Park, who was unfortunately sick at the time, showed his professionalism as he continued the show. With a shoutout to the Arts of Movement (AOM) crew who supported Jay throughout his career, he joined two crew members in their performance, reminding the audience of why Jay Park is a triple threat with skills in singing, dancing, and overall charm. Following the dance routine, he quipped a quick story about a caterpillar that ate so much that although he formed a cocoon, the cocoon bursts, so he could never become a butterfly. In his playful spirit, he admitted that there was no moral to the story, he made it up on the spot as a way to let him catch his breath.
Wooing fans, Jay Park continued “These days, you know, I’ve been touring a lot. I don’t get to see my family often. I’ve been feeling very lonely, you know. And sometimes I just lay in my hotel bed all alone, I just look over and I say ‘Damn. I wouldn’t mind some female company right now’,” leading in to a Korean cover of Bruno Mar’s “Nothing on You,” and following with “Girlfriend,” teasing fans by asking “Is it you?” He continued with “Be With Me 2night,” a song produced by fellow AOM mate Chase “Cha Cha” Malone, charming fans with his body rolls. Inviting Dumbfoundead back on stage, they performed “You Know How We Do” off the mix tape.
Unfortunately, the night soon had to come to an end. Jay Park performed a stirring stage of “Body2Body” as fans cheered, full of energy and enthusiasm. Closing the show, Joey Guila took the stage once again to thank fans for their attendance, as well as Verizon for bringing them all to the east coast.
For those of you on the west coast, the tour is not over yet. Jay Park will be visiting San Francisco on May 25th and Los Angeles on May 27th, with AJ Rafael and Blush as his opening acts. If you haven’t purchased tickets yet, they are still available on Verizon’s official ticket website. In addition, don't miss your chance to attend the meet and greet in both cities the day before their respective concerts. Meanwhile, be sure to check out photos from the New York City concert below!
Source: Koreaboo
