On Friday night, South Korean rock band Se So Neon came back to Montreal for the second time in the past couple of years — this time to promote their long-awaited first studio album, <NOW>. The last time they came through, fronted by Soyoon, they played one of the city’s most iconic underground spots, Café Campus. This time, they leveled up to Beanfield Theatre, a venue with double the capacity, which says a lot about how much the band has grown since their start in 2016. And now, finally, Soyoon has the kind of material she’s been aiming for since the beginning — fitting, since she’s the driving creative force behind everything Se So Neon does.
Opening the night was Japanese singer-songwriter Mei Ehara, whose new album All About McGuffin had literally dropped that same day. That meant Montreal was the first place to hear some of those songs live right after the release. Normally she plays with a full band, but this time her set was stripped down — just her, an electric guitar, and a console for some lo-fi beats. It was intimate and beautiful. Her style has this ethereal, melodic vibe, with a soft, warm voice and some bluesy, jazzy riffs on guitar. The kind of music you’d want playing on a rainy day, curled up with a book and a cup of tea.
While waiting for the main act, it was cool to notice how wide Se So Neon’s pull is. The crowd was a mix of ages and backgrounds — from young people waving banners that said “My first concert” to folks old enough to have been teenagers back in 1996, the year Soyoon was born. Their music just has that timeless quality. They’ll drift from psychedelic riffs into jazz touches, then lean into garage and pop rock, all within one set.
At 9 p.m. sharp, the lights cut out and the stage washed over in blue. The setup was simple: a tiled backdrop of the band’s logo in a neon-futuristic design, a drum kit, and some mic stands. Bassist Spencer Zahn came out first, then Gyun on drums. Finally, Soyoon’s silhouette appeared — cowboy hat on — to cheers from the 800+ people packed into the venue. She picked up her white Fender Strat (just one of several she’d rotate through during the night) and kicked things off with the punchy grunge licks of “E,” the closing track from their Nonadaptation EP.
From there, the band showed off their range: “E” had shades of early Nirvana, but the next song, “Gurumi,” leaned into psychedelic grooves and fat bass lines more in the spirit of Pink Floyd’s “Echoes.” The following stretch of three songs flowed together almost like a jam session — jazzy transitions, no pauses. It really felt like you were watching three friends mess around in a garage, except in front of a sold-out crowd.
After “Summer Plumage,” Soyoon finally addressed the crowd:
“Wow. You know, I was walking outside today and just thought how nice and chill the city felt. But in here? You guys are spicy! This is great!”
She went on to talk about the new album and why it took so long. She said she didn’t want to release something just to have an album out — she needed to live more, have real experiences to write from. So she pushed herself out of her comfort zone, traveling through Japan, France, and the U.S., crashing on friends’ couches, sometimes even sleeping on the street. She eventually settled in the U.S., and with all those stories behind her, she was finally ready to create <NOW>.
They played five more songs from the new record. Before the poppier track “Remember,” Soyoon got playful with the crowd:
“It’s very easy to sing this one. You’ll see. If you can’t follow along… like… I don’t know what’s wrong with you,” she joked. The audience happily sang along, and Soyoon lit up with a big smile.
The set closed with “Midnight Train,” the fiery opener from Nonadaptation, before the band left and returned for an encore of “Jayu” and “Kidd.” They ended by putting down their instruments, stepping to the front of the stage, hugging, and bowing to the cheering Montreal crowd.
For a band that just released their debut album, it was an impressive set — nearly two hours and 19 songs. It showed how seriously they take their craft, and how Soyoon’s catalog already runs deep. This wasn’t just an album-and-tour cycle for the sake of it. They put out something meaningful, something with a purpose — and judging by Montreal’s response, it’s working.
GALLERY: Se So Neon with Mei Ehara at Beanfield Theatre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (September 12, 2025)
