It’s been a few years since TWICE has graced North America with their touring presence, and with every new album, festival set or overseas show, that absence has been felt.
TWICE are a touring juggernaut, they sell out every venue they perform at and generate hundreds of thousands of ticket sales per tour. An impressive feat for any girl group, it only makes sense for TWICE, who are known for their stage presence, retinue of catchy viral hits, and a guaranteed good show.
Since July 2025, TWICE has embarked on their <THIS IS FOR> world tour, and recently made a long-awaited, three-night stop in Elmont, New York. Unfortunately, while the stops did not feature member Dahyun — who is on a health break due to a fractured leg — they still delivered a host of new songs, choreography, and an innovative 360-degree stage setup that helped make up for the group’s three-year gap.
Energy Levels
It’s TWICE. The energy levels were nuclear and then some.
The group’s uber-dedicated fanbase, ONCE, shows up and shows out at every tour. In the merch lines, we hear conversations from fans who have traveled from other states to see the group. Decked in music video outfit recreations and filling the venue with the peach and magenta glow of their lightsticks, they stay on their feet and dance from the first note to the last. ONCE’s energy is rivaled only by TWICE themselves, who despite a several-month-long jaunt across Asia and North America, make complex choreography that spans the entire width of an Olympic-sized hockey rink look like light work. If you manage to make it through a TWICE show without getting up and jumping along even once, I can only assume you’ve had a terrible accident involving your pants, the chair, and superglue. It’s the only possibility.
Standout Performances
FOUR / THIS IS FOR: The house lights dim, the stage lights begin to flash, and against a bright blue background with white lettering, “THIS IS FOR” beams across the screens in the center of the venue. Introducing the group with “FOUR,” we hear the fans scream along, “Once you see us, you’ll madly love us twice.” On the album, the segue from “FOUR” to “THIS IS FOR” feels slightly asynchronous: the intro builds and builds but “THIS IS FOR” is a lighter, summery track that doesn’t need such a rise. However, live, “THIS IS FOR” turns the energy from 50 to 100. From the first “This is for all my ladies,” with the members moving from side to side and sporting matching white sets, the crowd can’t help but jump, dance, and maybe even tear up a little. It’s been a while since TWICE has stopped by the area, and such a celebratory song stirs up a lot of emotion.
MARS: Preceded by a dramatic choreography featuring the group’s entire suite of dancers spread across all corners of the stage and below glowing screens of stars and galaxies, “MARS” is a verifiable supernova of a song. It’s the exact brand of infectious poptimism that TWICE is known for, with the dial turned up to 11. Jihyo and Nayeon’s vocals truly soar in the “we are alive” post-chorus, cathartic and free in all the ways a concert should feel. In our section, we hear another fan say, “Oh my god, I’m going to cry,” and honestly: same.
YES or YES – A road down memory lane is the classic “YES or YES.” Mina starts with, “Hey, New York! I’m going to make this simple for you,” a customization she makes at every show that guarantees atomic-level screaming. With the stage serving as a corridor connecting the far ends of the arena, the formation shifts as the girls run, jump, ask the crowd to join them in dancing, and maybe even spray them with water. From the right side of the stage, we can see Jihyo encouraging the crowd to sway their lightsticks to the rhythm of the song, full of energy even at the end of the night.
Hell in Heaven: Disclaimer: I have been a “Hell in Heaven” stan since I first heard the snippet of it in the Eyes Wide Open album teaser. In my review of their Met Life show, I lamented the fact that it wasn’t included specifically. I would include this song as a highlight if they sang it lying down on the stage and through a tin can full of pennies instead of a microphone. The subtle Latin influences in the track mirrored other songs in the setlist, making it slot neatly in between more recent releases, and the choreography took advantage of the stage setup with intricate rings and cross formations that ensured everyone in the venue had their own, unique view. The song itself allows the member’s distinct vocal colors to shine without relying on belting or high notes, establishing TWICE’s vocal abilities as something layered and rehearsed, not just for those few showstopping moments.
RIGHT HAND GIRL: One of THIS IS FOR’s standout tracks, “RIGHT HAND GIRL,” is an upbeat amapiano-influenced song that is perfect for scream-singing with your bestie (or the stranger sat next you). Like “Hell in Heaven,” the track is a more subtle vocal performance, and also takes full advantage of the stage layout, sprawling into the wings. What sings the most here is the members confidence, making it hard to choose just which one to focus on.
Feel Special: I’m lucky to have seen several TWICE shows across the U.S. since 2022’s III, including major moments like TWICE’s first stadium show at BMO Stadium and 2023’s sold out Met Life concert. From staying up late to watch the R&B remix at the 2019 MAMA Awards to being graced by Jihyo’s acapella bridge during the Ready To Be tour, I have heard many, many iterations of “Feel Special.”
It never gets old.
A mainstay on TWICE’s setlists since its release, “Feel Special” is one of their emblematic, signature songs. Released in the midst of member Mina’s mental health related hiatus, the song has become an anthem for both TWICE and ONCE, representing the love they all share for one another.
It’s always a joy to hear the song live. But this tour, instead of intricate choreography and glittering coordinated outfits, the song is performed in the encore, with members in casual looks and interacting with the audience. Knowing the song’s meaning to both fans and artist, THIS IS FOR’s version feels more fitting, and closes out the show on a strong, grateful note.
High Notes
The entire 360 experience.
Yes, literally: in the sense that the stage is in the center of the arena and TWICE’s performance faces 360 degrees. Every one of the songs on their set is interpreted to reach fans in every nook and cranny of the venue, using B-stages and wings and re-choregraphing every song to ensure not a single section goes un-performed-to.
But also in the sense that every aspect of the art of performance is considered. Between sections of the setlist, dancers, musicians, and fans alike are spotlighted. Ahead of “MARS,” all of TWICE’s dance team takes to each corner of the sprawling stage in a dramatic, lyrical routine.
Another break in the set gives the group’s touring band time to riff, freestyling a mini instrumental set highlighting their prowess as musicians, not just TWICE’s support. Yet another break turns the camera to the crowd, challenging fans to dance off’s set to TWICE’s long list of hits. Even the setlist has range, showcasing TWICE’s often under-appreciated vocal skills in “MARS” and “Gone,” but also their unique lower ranges in the moodier “Hell in Heaven” and “Make Me Go.”
Whether you’re a dancer, singer, musician, all three, or none of the above, TWICE’s show offers something for everyone. Plus, the fact that you might have a member mere feet away from you, even sitting all the way in the back of the venue, doesn’t hurt.
For Fans Of
Reinvention.
There is a moment in TWICE’s discography, around “FANCY,” that marks a clear divide between their candy crush cute concept into a more mature, exploratory sound. This tour feels like another demarcation, a definitive moment of TWICE choosing their next chapter.
Steadfastly refusing to be put in a box, the past several years have seen TWICE explore genres from bossa nova to drum and bass, explore themes like self-love, toxic relationships, confidence, and friendship. This tour, and largely the THIS IS FOR album era in general, draws a line between this exploration, and a TWICE that knows who they are now.
The setlist is carefully selected to highlight this confident, more vibrant TWICE. Gone is the braggadocious peacocking of “ICON” or “HELLO,” and the timid shyness of “TT” or “Heart Shaker,” instead replaced by the self-assured, genuine confidence in “OPTIONS” or “RIGHT HAND GIRL.” Members strengths are given time to shine: from complex choreos that let Sana, Mina, and Momo take the reins, to belting vocal moments that put Nayeon, Jeongyeon and Jihyo at center stage, to eight different solo stages where Chaeyoung and Tzuyu’s newfound stability as soloists stands out.
If 2023’s Ready To Be tour, a jam-packed, high-energy crash course in TWICE, was the summation of their career to that point, then <THIS IS FOR> is the first page of their next chapter.
Verdict
K-pop ticket prices aren’t getting any easier to justify, but if you’re picking one major show this year, TWICE make a strong case for being that one. There’s nary a dull moment, and with TWICE’s undeniably catchy discography, nearly limitless reserve of enthusiasm, and immersive 360 stage experience, even the nosebleeds are a party.
TWICE’s position as one of the crown jewels of K-pop has been cemented for years, yet every performance they seem dead set on reaffirming it. This tour is no different: despite the hectic schedules that plague K-pop idols, TWICE are giving 100% and then some.
TWICE’s THIS IS FOR tour returns to the U.S. in April, and journeys on to Japan and across Europe in May and June. Be sure to follow TWICE on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTubefor more updates from their tour.
For more TWICE, check out our review of THIS IS FOR here. For more concert recaps, see our exclusive photos from JUNNY in Los Angeles.
