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PHOTOS: Amber Liu – San Francisco, CA – 1/18/2020

Amber Liu is no stranger to the stage. Discovered at age 15 by SM Entertainment, the California native has spent much of the last decade performing in k-pop group f(x). Liu now performs solo, bringing with her all the skill and energy she developed as a k-pop performer. Now on the road in support of her latest album, titled X, Liu showcased her talent at The Warfield for a positively buzzing audience.

Starting with a bang, opening song “Countdown” launched the crowd into screams of delight. Wasting no time, Liu and her two backup dancers dominated the stage with explosive choreography. Liu made every intricate dance move look effortless, all while sustaining impressive vocal control.

With the latest evolution of her career, Liu has emphasized that this is a new beginning for her-one where she can truly be herself. Her performance echoed this refrain, with songs punctuated by encouraging and empowering speeches to the audience. Ballads like “Stay Calm” and “Borders” gave Liu moments to implore the audience to follow their own paths and not be ashamed of asking for help.

Liu’s major strength as a performer lay in her ability to make the audience feel like a group of longtime friends. Crowd and performer giggled the way through “Three Million Years,” delighting in a private joke only real fans understood. The biggest testament, however, to Liu’s infectious energy came later. After leaving the stage for a moment, Liu and her dancers returned dressed as the main characters from Frozen. Wearing an absurdly voluminous Elsa wig, Liu performed “Let It Go” to a delighted audience.

Amber Liu has cultivated her incredible talent from her years in f(x). Now free from the highly regimented world of k-pop performance, Liu is able to wield the creative freedom that allows her to be unabashedly joyous onstage. Every minute of her time on The Warfield stage was spent grinning as the audience echoed her lyrics, a testament to sincere connection between audience and performer.

Check out a gallery from the show below:

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Dana Jacobs

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Dana Jacobs has been a contributing photographer for Beyond the Stage since 2019. As a current physical therapy graduate student, photography is her preferred way to maintain sanity between classes and exams. When she's not studying or shooting a live show, Dana can be found listening to true crime podcasts and petting the nearest pup. Her favorite bands include Bastille, Panic! at the Disco, and The 1975.

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