CNBLUE Returns to New York After 11 Years with a Night to Remember

After more than a decade away, CNBLUE made their long-awaited return to New York on April 18th, taking over the Knockdown Center in Queens for their first show in the city in 11 years. It wasn’t just a concert — it felt like a reunion, a celebration.

The night kicked off with a bang as CNBLUE opened with "In My Head," firing up the crowd from the very first note. The energy was wild — hands up, voices screaming, people jumping. The band didn’t waste a second showing New York that they were back and honestly, sounding better than ever.

After the first segment, frontman Yonghwa grabbed the mic and chatted with the crowd, sharing that New York had officially turned him into a foodie — proudly confessing his love for tacos (shoutout to Los Tacos). Everyone cracked up, and it felt like one of those moments where the artist just gets the city they’re in.

The three-piece band brought the nostalgia force with their debut song "Loner," the kind of track that just hits different live, especially for longtime fans. And then came “Wake Up,” one of the night’s most hyped-up moments. In the middle of the song, they paid tribute to Queen, breaking into "We Will Rock You." Minhyuk got the whole crowd stomping and clapping along — it seriously felt like a stadium.

Things slowed down in the best way when Yonghwa sat at the piano to perform "To. My Love." The whole venue went still, just soaking in the softness of the song. It was one of those rare, quiet concert moments where everything just… stops.

During a mid-show break, Yonghwa talked about seeing their faces on the big screens in Times Square and suddenly burst into Alicia Keys "New York" which obviously had the crowd losing it. Then he greeted fans in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish — and the crowd totally paid him back with the loudest cheers

But this wasn’t just a night of deep feelings, the band made sure we had fun too. The energy jumped again during "Cinderella" with everyone back on their feet, dancing and singing like no time had passed at all.

Encore, Yonghwa returned to the stage with "Can’t Stop" with a special shoutout to New York. The crowd sang every word. Afterwards, he turned to us with a grin and asked for help filming a little video, leading us in a playful "YES!" chant that filled the room. And in a super sweet moment, he even sang "Happy Birthday" to a fan who called out during the break definitely a memory that person won’t forget.

To end the show, CNBLUE performed "Love Light" casting a soft glow over the venue then he transitions to Young Forever. As the chorus played, silver confetti started falling from above, catching the light. the moment just hung in the air, quiet and dreamy — a slow fade rather than a big finale.

Find Our Full CNBLUE Gallery Here!