“B.T.W” JAY B Kicked Off his First Solo U.S. Tour ‘TAPE: RE LOAD’ in San Francisco
- Aliyah Hinckley
- Jun 29
- 7 min read
Updated: Sep 6
Leader and singer of the K-pop group GOT7, JAY B embarked on his solo U.S. tour, TAPE: RE LOAD, making his first stop at The Warfield Theatre in San Francisco on June 6. After the original two tour stops in Los Angeles and Atlanta were postponed and rescheduled, San Francisco became the first show of the tour.
This wasn’t JAY B’s first time performing at the historic venue, which has stood for over 103 years and hosted legends like Louis Armstrong, Nirvana, Adele, and H.E.R. In fact, back in 2015, GOT7 held a fan meeting there, which was a moment that seemed to come rushing back to JAY B. “I think I remember being here...It seems very familiar,” he said. Whether he was subtly hinting to fans that he’d been there before or genuinely experiencing a flash of memory to which the fans reminded him of it.
With a decade having passed since that first visit—which came early in GOT7’s career—it’s almost surreal to see how far they've come. From racking up music show wins and building a dedicated global fanbase, to navigating the challenges of leaving their original company, gaining the rights to their group name, trademark, and song rights—of which JAY B had an integral role in securing—to exploring solo paths while still choosing to stay connected as a group. There has been so much change, growth, and effort, yet so much heart remains the same. Now, standing on the same stage for his solo tour, JAY B’s return felt like a full-circle moment, a quiet celebration of both how far he and GOT7 have come, and how much more there is still ahead for them.
Fresh off his performance with DEAN at 88 Rising’s Head in the Clouds in Los Angeles, Korean R&B singer Tabber opened the show with “007,” one of his most popular tracks garnering over ten million streams on Spotify, delivering his iconic opening that fans sang along to: “Uh 007//She's a pro, no hesitation for weapons//Said she's such a pro, yeah O-Ocean's Eleven//Uh, da du da da di da ba da bob da du da Ha-ooh.”
He was the perfect choice to open for JAY B, with a unique voice that effortlessly shifts across vocal registers and blends smooth R&B with raw emotion. His set featured tracks like “Honey!,” “Chi-Ka,” the newest single “Hysteric Glamour,” and more, each one drawing fans in and getting their hands waving in the air. His opening performance set the tone for the night and built excitement for JAY B’s performance. Later in the show, during the Q&A, JAY B had expressed his gratitude for Tabber opening the show, saying he was genuinely surprised—and thankful—that Tabber joined him for the tour. There was a brief break before JAY B would hit the stage.
Suddenly, the screen played the intro video of JAY B, and then went static with noise like an old VHS tape. Ahgabong—the bright green, bird-shaped GOT7 lightsticks—were shaking in the hands of Ahgases (GOT7 fandom) throughout the venue.
During the performance of “B.T.W,” backup dancers joined JAY B on stage and confetti was shot into the air to much of everyone's surprise, including JAY B’s. After the song, when the interpreter translated JAY B’s speech on stage, he said, “I got so surprised by the sudden explosion. It was so sudden at this timing. So I almost messed up my lyrics,” as he let out a laugh.
Photo Cr.: Aliyah Hinckley
He showed off his range, effortlessly hitting high notes, including the funky, upbeat 80s-inspired track “go UP” and “Livin’.” At one point, he pointed the microphone toward the crowd to hear them sing. He shared that this was the first time performing “Livin’” live. As he danced on stage, so did fans in the crowd, as confetti shot into the sky once again.
Throughout the night, JAY B and his backup dancers delivered smooth, high-energy choreography and hard-hitting dance breaks—especially during tracks like “Switch It Up” and “Crash.” Their performance was made even more electrifying with bursts of smoke shooting up from both sides of the stage, adding to the visual impact.
At one point, after wiping the sweat from his face, he looked out into the crowd and asked a fan, “You want it?”—prompting a wave of excited screams. He patted his face, once more and then casually tossed the towel into the front pit. Later, he teased the audience by pretending to throw another towel, only to toss it behind him with a grin, before finally launching it into the crowd.
JAY B switched it up with more sexy choreography and a sultry mood. As “Cloud nine” began, smoke rolled in across the stage from left to right, with red lights against a fire-and-cloud–themed backdrop. Two male dancers joined him onstage, accentuating the sensuality of the performance. At the song’s emotional peak—during the high note of “I'll take you high to cloud nine (ah, ah, ah, ah),” JAY B stood center stage, fully immersed in the moment. As the song came to a close, soft blue strobe lights met in the middle to spotlight him as he was surrounded by drifting smoke curling around his feet.
Photo Cr.: Aliyah Hinckley
During the performance of "Take It Easy," the energy shifted up a notch. As the dance break hit, one of the dancers shouted, “Make some noise!”—prompting the crowd to erupt with cheers. Fans screamed even louder during the sexy choreography, especially when the dancers playfully tried to lift JAY B’s shirt to reveal his abs. Later in the show, the crowd went wild when one of the dancers held up a U.S. flag printed with a shirtless image of JAY B—prompting him to pull up his own shirt and reveal his abs, perfectly matching the image on the flag. During the dance break of “Inside,” JAY B performed a smooth body roll on the stage floor, igniting another wave of loud cheers. Beautiful female dancers moved sensually and in perfect sync, amplifying the sultry atmosphere. At one point, one of the dancers sat and danced on JAY B’s lap, adding to the seductive mood and sending the crowd into a frenzy.
The final song before the encore was “Holyday.” Right before performing it, he shared with the crowd, “I feel like I was all sexy, but now I’ve prepared a song that is a little different.” The mood shifted as he introduced this bright, uplifting track, its lyrics focusing on putting yourself first, embracing your dreams, and living freely. “Stop overthinkin'//And just start dreamin'//Bright lights becomin' reality.” As the joyous energy of the song reached its peak, bursts of confetti shot into the air, marking a beautiful and celebratory moment between JAY B and his fans. The confetti kept falling in waves throughout the concert, layering the crowd’s shoulders and blanketing the floor in shades of blue and vibrant colors, almost like a blanket of snow covering the venue floor.
As the crowd eagerly waited for the encore, chants of “JAY B! JAY B!” filled the venue. From the left side of the stage, his soft voice came through the microphone with a calm “Let’s go.” The encore kicked off with a high-energy remix set of songs including “Fame,” “B.T.W.,” “Take It Easy,” and a rock-style remix of “Crash.” JAY B and his dancers freestyled across the stage. The crowd fed off their energy, hyping them up as JAY B let loose, having fun and simply being free on stage. Reminding fans of his b-boy roots, he took center stage to also freestyle in the circle amongst his dancers.
Of course, JAY B wasn’t going to leave the stage without performing some beloved GOT7 songs. He brought the nostalgia and energy with performances of “PAGE,” “Teenager,” “Go Higher,” and “Before the Full Moon Rises.” Being drenched with water from his dancers during “Go Higher,” fans were already excited for the GOT7 songs, but the energy soared even higher when “THURSDAY” began. The entire crowd sang along to every lyric, their voices echoing through the venue with emotion and unity. As the song came to a close, the fanchant began. Fans proudly called out each member’s name: “JAY B, Mark, Jackson, Park Jinyoung, Choi Youngjae, BamBam, Kim Yugyeom, GOT7,...”
Photo Cr.: Aliyah Hinckley
“I’m so thankful you all greeted me so nicely,” JAY B said to the audience. “It’s because of you [fans] that I can perform like this.” He humbly shared, “personally, I wish I did better.” Which immediately drew a loud, collective reaction from fans—shouts of “Huh?!” and “What?!” echoed through the venue in disbelief. Since this was the first show of his tour, JAY B admitted, “I think it’s showing, a little cautiously that I’m a little nervous. Because I feel like my throat is feeling dry, I think that’s why I know I’m nervous.” In response, fans raised their thumbs in the air, cheering and reassuring him that he was doing a good job.
To end his last speech of the night, JAY B gave a respectful bow and said, “I’m JAY B from GOT7,” a heartfelt reminder that while he’s currently performing solo, he remains a proud member of GOT7—just as every member does when they are out in public. To close out the show on a lighthearted note, JAY B and his backup dancers playfully danced their way off stage, one by one, all smiling as the crowd cheered them on.
For fans who purchased special tickets, the night didn’t end with the final performance. They were invited to stay after the show for a calm and intimate Q&A segment, offering a chance to wind down from the excitement and hear JAY B share more about his life and thoughts.
After a brief rest, JAY B returned to the stage to answer a set of pre-selected questions. Fans laughed and tried to interact with him throughout, enjoying his playful energy and witty remarks as he responded with humor and charm.
To close the night on a personal note, fans lined up for a “Hi-Bye” session. As each person exited the venue, JAY B stood behind the barricades, waving and smiling warmly at every fan who passed by, ending the evening with a simple, heartfelt sendoff.
What was your favorite moment from the show in SF or at any of the tour stops? Let us know by leaving a comment below or by reaching out to us on Instagram or X.
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Edited by Martina Yee
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