Best of Weekly Music Shows: 2/3 - 2/9

It’s that time of the week again where we highlight the best of the last seven days in televised music performances! As we get deeper into the month of February, a lot of gold and glory is being distributed across groups: Girl’s Day took home a win on MNet M!Countdown; TVXQ surprised many with first place on KBS Music Bank; B1A4 reached triple-crown status on MBC Music Core and Show! Champion; and, AOA enjoyed their first music show win on SBS Inkigayo. 

Beyond that, there were a host of comebacks and debuts thrown in the mix, including the likes of Ga-in, Spica, and GP Basic, as well as continued promotions from groups like GOT7 and Dal Shabet. And, of course, this week wouldn’t be complete without yet another “Let it Go” cover, but I digress. Let’s get into some of the week’s standouts!

Spica’s “You Don’t Love Me,” MNet M!Countdown, February 6, 2014

Maybe I’m biased because I didn’t have to be subjected to the butt padding, but Spica continued their hot streak with more strong performances this week, especially on M!Countdown. There’s not much more that can be said about the strong vocal skills of this group, but it’s a given that each member holds her own, and I especially like the variety of tones they have. The retro theme is really working for Spica, and they’d be very deserving of a music show win for this cohesive comeback.

Ga-in’s “Truth or Dare,” MNet M!Countdown, February 6, 2014

Ga-in sure is lively with her “Truth or Dare” return. The song really could be the sister version to “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke, but the live performance is stamped with a flair that only Ga-in could provide. Plus, I love her back-up dancers, who provide continuity from the dance styles in “Bloom” and help Ga-in combine sexiness with cuteness for this decidedly funky song.

GP Basic’s “Pika Burnjuck,” MBC Music Core, February 8, 2014

When you first watch GP Basic’s performance, you’re not really sure what you’re looking at, but as the whole performance unfolds you can’t help but appreciate their hustle with this comeback. They’re providing some much-needed contrast on the girl group front right now, and the dance to “Pika Burnjuck” is fantastic, all power with a masculine edge that doesn’t look overly contrived. With the dancing and uniforms, the ladies were giving me Janet Jackson “Rhythm Nation” vibes, which can never be a bad thing.

B.A.P.‘s “With You” and “1004 (Angel),” KBS Music Bank, February 7, 2014

B.A.P. brought high energy to their debut stages this week, and I believe they have a winning song in “1004 (Angel).” Jong-up and Zelo succeed in grabbing attention with their showy duet dance in the beginning, and the entire performance takes off from there. The choreography is high energy, but the transitions to the smoother, softer sections are well executed, with both movements and vocals. The breakdown at the bridge sounds and looks particularly wonderful onstage as well. KBS tried some inventive editing techniques to really bring home the angel theme, but I don’t even think B.A.P. needed it to shine (although the white suits were more visually appealing).

Lip Service’s “Yum Yum Yum,” MBC Music Core, February 8, 2014

I had my doubts, but “Yum Yum Yum” works pretty well on stage. Leader and rapper Bipa has strong stage presence, and her confident rapping makes it all seem easy.

Kiss&Cry‘s “Domino Game,” KBS Music Bank, February7, 2014

I think Kiss&Cry is doing a great job with the “Domino Game” comeback. It’ll be easy for these rookies to get lost in the insanely dense girl group pool right now, but their performances are looking and sounding strong. Member Dia did a more-than-decent cover of “Let it Go” on Show!Champion, but I think she works better in her group here.

(KBS, MNet, MBC, SBS, YouTube [1][2][3][4][5][6]}