One fateful day in 2015, One Direction announced they would be going on an indefinite hiatus. Since then, the five British superstars have embarked on career-shifting solo careers of various success, including band sweetheart Louis Tomlinson. While Harry Styles and Zayn Malik shifted away from the band’s pop and pop rock influences in their own endeavors, Tomlinson seemed to embrace their traditional roots, and continues to do so even into his third album, How Did I Get Here?, which he performed at the Masonic Temple in Detroit, 10 years after he began his solo journey.
While the album release was not met with much online frenzy, the sold-out Masonic Temple’s atmosphere was electric. Not a seat was open, and every fan was on their feet for the entire concert. His third album explored more of a rock element than his earlier work, and this exploration was prevalent in every aspect of the concert. He had pop rock bands Picture Parlour and The Beaches as his openers, which intensified the energy in his electrified audience. Both groups praised Louis for including all-female bands as his openers, and I would have to agree with that praise. For an artist who comes from a band with more than a 70% female fan base, it was nice to see him appreciate his fans and acknowledge the women that had brought him there.
After two hours of opening performances and set alterations, Louis finally took the stage. He opened up with an electric performance of “Lemonade,” a single from his latest album. The visuals and confetti cannons were vibrant and eye opening, an incredibly awakening start to his set. The energy continued into songs like “On Fire” and “Written All Over Your Face.” Throughout the concert, the fans were on fire (pun intended), with two girls behind me singing along so loud I couldn’t hear for a couple hours after the concert (in a good way of course).
He took a break to thank the fans for their continued support and acknowledged he couldn’t be there without them. His gratitude seemed truly genuine, and the fans’ passion was only heightened. He then moved into “Out of My System,” an older song of his that heavily leaned into the rock aspect of his pop-rock career. The concert as a whole displayed his genre experimentation, which was a fascinating depiction of how the members of One Direction have sought to find their own niche post-breakup. As he played songs old and new, the audience accompanied him on his journey through his solo career. It was as though we got to experience his self realization and come to understand who he is and how he got here.
The concert took on a softer tone as he played “Defenceless” from his debut album Walls. It was a moment of nostalgia for lots of fans, and that nostalgia was only furthered by a solo acoustic performance of “Night Changes” by One Direction. Throughout the two songs, fans around the hall had tears in their eyes, reminiscing on earlier, and often simpler, times. The instrumentals were stripped back and his live vocals took center stage, and overall, this section was by far my favorite from the night.
After a quick water break, he jumped back into songs from his recent album, focusing on more popish songs like “Lazy” and “Sunflower.” Everyone was dancing and singing along, and paired with continued bright and flashy visuals, the energy was high, transporting the audience to a nightclub vibe.
As the concert neared its end, he shifted back into some more nostalgic songs, like his first single “Kill My Mind,” however this time around it didn’t feel like the nostalgia was center stage, but rather his growth as an artist. Sandwiched in between his modern work, his older songs really exemplified the youthful artistry he and his fellow bandmates used to work with, and how his new album feels so much more mature and meaningful. That’s not to say his older songs are bad, however, because every fan was still dancing and screaming the lyrics.
He ended the concert with one of my favorite songs from his new album, “Palaces,” the perfect song to wrap up the concert. The song focuses on a feeling of losing track of time with someone he loves, and that’s how we felt seeing the concert come to an end. It was two hours of pure joy and excitement, and by the time it ended, it felt like we had just got there, leaving us begging for more. Whether more is to come for Louis or not, his album and concert solidified his presence as an incredible artist and amazing performer, no longer defined by his boyhood stardom, and realized as a star in his own right.
Senior Arts Editor Tiffany Mckalko can be reached at tmckalko@umich.edu.
