*Scroll down for my photo gallery from the concert!*
I arrive at the Eventim Apollo shortly after doors open for Harry Styles' first UK tour stop, and have never seen such a long queue for a concert as this one - it stretches all the way back to Hammersmith Bridge. It almost looks like the queue holds far more concert-goers than will fit in the venue, and this is after some have already gone in. I take my place and thankfully the queue moves swiftly so it isn't too long before we make our way to the front of the venue. As we snake our way through the metal barriers, I step over more and more discarded duvets, pillows and blankets, making it clear that many fans had been camping here to get front row spots.
Making my way into the venue, I saw how they were managing to fit so many fans inside - the entire stalls section had been converted to standing, and was packed to the gills. I found it amusing how this was marketed as 'an intimate gig' when in fact there were clearly thousands of us here. Always being one to try and avoid getting crushed in pits, I had opted for a seat up in the Circle, which again was very full, even with standing room right at the back. Taking a look around, it was interesting to see that the audience (predominantly female, unsurprisingly) seemed older than the One Direction fans I'd expected - most were school leaver or university age, and very few parental chaperones to be seen - suggesting that Harry's audience had matured along with his sound.
At 8pm, the opening act Muna took to the stage. I'd never heard of them before so had no idea what to expect, and admittedly had a bone of contention to the fact that Harry's opening act in the States was Kacey Musgraves, who remains one of my favourite artists and who I would have loved to see. Muna turned out to be a trio of women who took to the stage in business suits, which worked well with the minimalist set of just two small screens bearing the band name and a crescent moon outline.
They began with a chart-like pop number Loudspeaker, complete with syncronised jumping up and down from the band. The crowd seemed very responsive with a number singing along wholeheartedly to songs like Everything, about being obsessed with someone, and a cover of Stevie Nicks' (whom they described as one of the greatest musicians of all time) Edge of Seventeen. They finished up with a high-tempo dance track I Know A Place which certainly allowed those in the Circle to get their dancing shoes on - although I'm not sure there was much room down below...
I wish I could give you a proper review of the opening act, but the sound quality in the venue was atrocious, at least for the beginning, with the instrumentals completely drowning out any vocals. As a result, I couldn't even catch lyrics to jot down and find out songs later. However, they were interesting to watch and certainly seemed to be feeling themselves with lots of interpretive dancing, and in sync headbanging.
Then for the main event. I had booked my ticket to see Styles before his album was released, having only heard Sign of the Times but expecting big things nonetheless. Admittedly, his new style wouldn't be 100% my cup of tea, but I was sure I was in for an entertaining night nonetheless and I am positive that many in the audience would leave feeling as if they'd had the best night of their lives - what more can you ask for?
After Muna left the stage, the screaming was almost continuous and the excitement clearly palpable. Cheers erupted as a large pink silk screen floated down to cover the stage as the set was changed - this was undoubtedly a case of fandemonium, as evidenced by someone in the pit collapsing just ten minutes before Styles took to the stage, needing to be hauled out and whisked away for medical attention. I couldn't help but feel sorry - no doubt she'd been one of the ones camping outside, only to be taken away minutes before her idol came on stage.
The screams increased in decibels (if possible) as a harmonised 'Tell me something I don't already know' played out of the speakers, closely followed by a silhouette of Styles on stage, which resulted in a collective surge in the pit - again, very glad to have been upstairs in my own seat! The curtain fell and Harry was revealed centre stage, impeccably dressed in a sky blue designer suit. As he began Ever Since New York I couldn't help but be impressed by the crowd screaming every word along with him. I'd wondered at the beginning whether they really loved his music as opposed to just him, but this seemed to answer my question.
The atmosphere certainly made it feel like more of a stadium tour than an intimate gig, and in spite of all of the concerts I've been to, I can honestly say I've rarely, if ever, seen a crowd quite like this one. Harry moved on to sing Two Ghosts, a song which I think was able to highlight the difference between not only now and his pop days, but also between his solo route and those of his ex-bandmates. This is far more glam-rock than pop and an interesting change of direction for someone who could just have easily made a mega-successful bubblegum pop album.
Styles shifts from rocky numbers like Carolina to strong ballad-like songs such as Sweet Creature, bathed in a soft purple light. Like Muna's set, this too is minimalist, and only changes when he requests to 'take it up a notch' to sing Only Angel surrounding by flashing lights in the background. He certainly has stage presence, strutting up and down the stage and dancing a bit now and then, as well as engaging well with the crowd, picking on a few fans in the front to chat to them, which helped me find out that some had been camping out since Tuesday - that's five nights of sleeping on the street to see a concert. I mean, I'll occasionally get to gigs a few hours early if I'm keen to queue, but this is next level. Harry must be proud of his fans dedication.
A lots of the lyrics in his songs are fairly repetitive such as in Woman and allow themselves to be easily sung, even if you don't know them word for word (which I'm sure was not the case for the vast majority). As well as playing most of the songs from his own self-titled album, he also treats us to a song he wrote for another artist in the form of Ariana Grande's Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart, which I didn't know he'd written but was all the more impressed by, and of course some One Direction songs such as Stockholm Syndrome and What Makes You Beautiful, but in a style so different from their original versions that you could be fooled into thinking they were completely new songs.
However, throughout this section, Styles paused a few times as yet more girls have to be hauled out of the pit, dealing with dehydration or trampling I would imagine. Nonetheless, he deals very well with this, stopping the set, asking for the houselights to be brought up and asking everyone to give the injured room until it is sorted. His motto is very much about treating each other with kindness and I was pleased to see that he too practiced what he preached.
The next song was undoubtedly the most well-received - Kiwi, whose lyrics scream "I think she said 'I'm having your baby, it's none of your business!' I wonder if he wrote this song too, and whether it is based on personal experience - definitely a big change of content from his boy band days. I enjoy listening to his distinctive voice, but think he could just have easily told the crowd the name of each song and let them sing the entire song, and have resulted in the same endgame of an entertaining night.
The main set ends here (cue more girls being pulled out of the pit - it's getting worrying) but Styles returns shortly after to sing From the Dining Table, a song with enjoyable lyrics like 'Even my phone misses your call'. He follows this up with a cover of Fleetwood Mac's Break The Chain which is always well covered by artists, and I enjoy seeing how different artists put their own spins on it - from Little Big Town (who Harry has also done a cover of) to Styles himself.
There's little guessing as to what songs he should finish his set off with as the crowd chants 'Kiwi, Kiwi, Kiwi' to which he obliges, in spite of having already played it once. I found this interesting in the fact that so many wanted to hear it again as opposed to a different song - Styles fans, help me out here? The set officially ends with the crowd pleasing Sign of the Times to which all of the phone lights in the audience are lifted up. Harry bows, leaves the stage, comes back to blow more kisses, and leaves again as the band continue with the final chords. The end of the gig is like a collective sigh of thousands of girls telling each other 'wasn't that amazing?'
Ultimately, I feel privileged to have shared that night with such a dedicated fanbase, and to see an artist who is far from the end of his solo journey. Few will have the same influence on a generation, or at least part of it, as Harry Styles will. Watch this space.
Did you enjoy my review of Harry Styles' intimate gig? I'd love to hear your thoughts on Twitter @CiarasCountry, where you can also share your experiences of the concert if you were there too! There's lots more where this came from, so stay tuned for further reviews and interviews from fantastic artists coming soon!
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