BTS: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

Stephen Thompson | Sept. 21, 2020
We've been trying to make a BTS Tiny Desk concert happen for years now — even gaming out ways we might move Bob Boilen's desk far enough forward to accommodate the superstar Korean boy band's dance moves.

In the end, it took a global pandemic — and the launch of Tiny Desk (home) concerts back in March — to make something happen. With BTS cooped up in Seoul, the group held true to the series's spirit by convening a live band for its Tiny Desk debut, and even arranged to perform in a workspace with a music-friendly backdrop: the record store VINYL & PLASTIC by Hyundai Card in BTS's hometown.

Opening with this summer's inescapable "Dynamite" — the group's first single to hit No. 1 in the U.S., as well as its first song to be fully recorded in English — BTS leaned hard into the new track's celebratory, "Uptown Funk"-adjacent vibes. From there, the group dipped into its back catalog, seizing on the opportunity to showcase its quieter side while (mostly) staying uncharacteristically seated. The breezily propulsive "Save ME," from 2016, ultimately gave way to a full-on power ballad in 2017's reflective "Spring Day."

The latter track seemed especially true to BTS's hopeful nature: Introduced with a few optimistic words from rapper and singer RM ("It's been the roughest summer ever, but we know that spring will come"), the song reflects on a need to wait out hard times, even as the weight of present-day pain feels oppressive.

BTS had intended to spend 2020 delighting the BTS Army in arenas around the world, only to spend these last few months performing in isolation. Released on the last day of a grim season, "Spring Day" provides a nice reminder of what awaits us on the other side. We just have to get through fall and winter first.

SET LIST
"Dynamite"
"Save ME"
"Spring Day"

MUSICIANS
J-Hope: vocals; SUGA: vocals; Jungkook: vocals; V: vocals; Jin: vocals; RM: vocals; Jimin: vocals; KHAN: drums; DOCSKIM: keyboard; Kim Kiwook: bass; Shyun: guitar

CREDITS
Video and Audio by: Big Hit Entertainment; Producer: Stephen Thompson; Audio Mastering Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Video Producer: Morgan Noelle Smith; Associate Producer: Bobby Carter; Subtitles by Renee Klahr; Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey; Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

ABOUT THE SERIES
The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.

[nprmusic]

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[danettehughes]

I'm 61! You can be of any age to enjoy good music.

[mo]

For non-BTS fans left to right:
J-hope, Suga, Jungkook, V, Jin, RM, and Jimin

[adeyemikasali]

I’ve never listened to them before, but after this imma have to.

[lovethiyare]

I can't believe I came back here August 2024 just to see my boys again, I miss them so much 😢

[ゼロツー]

This is the concert everyone can see.

[beatrizdolfini]

wow now i understand why people talk a lot about them, they’re amazing
i’m just... speechless

[뭐잔잔]

멤버 중 누구 하나 건성이 없어서 다 진심 집중하고, 집중하니까 몰입해서 신나서 절로 들썩거리고, 옆의 멤버도 들썩거리니 더 기분 좋아져서 결국 일어서서 흥을 즐기고. 열심이고 잘하는 사람들이 모이면 이런 시너지가 나지., 방탄 라이브는 보는 사람도 웃음 짓게 하는 에너지가 가득.
올해 너무 힘들 때 방탄 보며 큰 위안을 얻었다. 얘들아 건강하게 오래 오래 해라.

[abdisaam]

I been listening to NPR since 2009 and I don’t know anything about BTS, my girlfriend is the opposite. Our two world collided today

[konstantine]

Their voices are as stable as their Billboard Hot 100 rank.

[philippanful]

I now understand why they've got the numbers. First time listening to them!

[안녕난-lp]

확실히 BTS만의 신나는 에너지가있어ㅠ
빨리 다같이 신곡내주면좋겠다

[hopeworld]

Let's recognize the musicians behind them too!
*KHAN* in the drums
*DOCSKIM* in the keyboard
*Kim Kiwook* in the bass
*Shyun* in the guitar

👏

[IvanLamLJ]

They're all so supportive of each other you can just tell

[hollytheo]

this is my first time listening to them and i am already liking them-

[ljxm]

The fact that their live vocals sound 100x BETTER than the recording proves just how talented they are. They definitely live up to their hype <3

[sally]

For a group that doesn't even speak fluent English this is extremely impressive to say the least and we gotta appreciate the effort they made for their English speaking fans this was really good.

[Dr__NK]

So this is the Korean music band BTS who went #1 on billboard hot 100 Impressive 👍 EDIT: So they stayed #1 for 2 weeks
and #2 for last 2 weeks
WoW 👍👍

[leonfdawson]

Can't lie, that first song had me tapping my feet.

[hedie-ugig]

이게 내 입덕영상이었다, , 아직도 그날을 잊지못함, , ㄹㅇ 충격이었음