EVERGLOW Closes RE:CODE’s U.S. Run with an Explosive LA Show

May 4

EVERGLOW is now a four-member group under CHXXTA Company, and with E:U, Sihyeon, Onda, and Aisha entering this next chapter together, the group is clearly moving with renewed purpose. With the release of their new mini-album, CODE, they also embarked on the RE:CODE World Tour, giving fans a chance to see how this new version of EVERGLOW holds its own.

Back in 2024, I saw EVERGLOW perform in Dallas on their Pulse & Heart tour, when they were still performing as their original six-member lineup. With RE:CODE, I was excited to see how they had grown since then, especially under a new structure, and their recent Los Angeles stop brought them to The Novo (where I also attended The Starting Line’s concert last November). Compared to the House of Blues’ more traditional theatre feel in Dallas, The Novo offers a classic bar-like atmosphere that made the night feel far more intimate. I was also much closer to the stage this time, which gave the performance a different kind of immediacy.

The show opened with “FOCUS,” my favorite song from the new mini-album. It’s hard synths feel like a throwback to EVERGLOW’s earliest EDM and techno-driven sound, while the harmonized outro from Onda and Sihyeon sounded even better live. It made for an energetic opener and transitioned smoothly into “LA DI DA,” still one of the group’s most beloved songs. The switch felt natural too, especially because both “FOCUS” and “LA DI DA” share a sleek, spacey atmosphere.

After that, I was thrilled to hear “Colourz,” my personal favorite Everglow track. I’m always drawn to strong brass elements in pop songs, and the trumpets in the chorus sounded immaculate in the room. “Company” then kept the bombastic energy going, while “ZOMBIE” slowed things down with a haunting instrumental before the set picked up again with “CODE,” the title track from the new mini-album.

“Pirate” and “SLAY” followed as back-to-back confidence anthems. The former carries a hint of third-gen K-pop influence that felt nostalgic, while the latter brought Everglow back to their familiar territory of heavy synths and bold production. “Hush” and “Make Me Feel” then offered a softer shift in the set without fully slowing the momentum. They are not quite as subdued as “ZOMBIE,” but they move with the feel of fast-paced lullabies. In this instance, “Make Me Feel” was probably the stronger of the two live, with booming drums that hit harder in person.

“First” and “Adios” closed the main set with a pair of explosive finishers. “First” is incredibly grand, with soaring, layered vocals that made The Novo feel closer to a stadium than a bar. “Adios,” meanwhile, has an instrumental that already feels massive in the studio version. Live, that intensity became even more overwhelming in the best way. Given the title, it was also a fitting send-off before the encore.

For the encore, EVERGLOW returned with two of their biggest songs: “DUN DUN” and “Bon Bon Chocolat.” The chorus and hook of “DUN DUN” never get old. The repeated “dun-dun-dun” line, first delivered without the full instrumental behind it, creates a dramatic build before the production kicks back in. It is easy to see why “DUN DUN” remains one of the group’s signature songs alongside “LA DI DA.”

“Bon Bon Chocolat,” EVERGLOW’s debut single, still feels very much tied to its 2019 moment, when girl groups like BLACKPINK were pushing edgier sounds that stood apart from the brighter, cuter concepts that had long dominated the scene. While it is not my personal favorite EVERGLOW song, it remains an essential part of their history and feels like a track that should always have a place on their setlist. The encore ended with “Can’t Be Broken,” a guitar-laden track centered on resilience and coming back stronger. And given EVERGLOW’s transition from a sextet to a quartet, it made complete sense as the final song of the night.

While the setlist felt slightly short at 15 songs, I was particularly impressed by the range EVERGLOW chose to represent. Since CODE is a mini-album, the group was able to include most of its new material while still leaving space for plenty of past fan favorites. But above all, EVERGLOW is back and shining brighter than ever.