Photo courtesy of Erskine Columbia
Four months after releasing his self-titled neo-British rock album that loosely highlights the works similar to Mick Jagger and David Bowie, Harry Styles stopped in Los Angeles for his first solo debut tour. The concert took place at The Greek Theatre on Sept 20. Styles dominated the stage by selling out the entire 5,780-seated venue.
By the time audience members entered the intimate venue quaintly nestled within the Hollywood Hills, nothing but teenage chaos was in the air. Fans everywhere immediately rushed to get all merchandise related to the former One Direction member.
Even though Styles is used to touring with his former bandmates for the last five years, the “Sign of the Times” singer took every pause within his 75-minute set to extend his gratitude toward his fans.
“Thank you for coming to see me when I’ve only got ten songs,” he said to the crowd, “You are the best friends anyone could ask for. You are wonderful. Thank you so much.”
With fans only knowing the “One Direction era” of Styles, most were unaware of what to expect with a complete set and lineup change. From the very beginning of his set, Styles went back to basics with a timeless and simplistic rock n’ roll theme that would best be suited for a vintage flower child dad of the 1970s.
The show started with a simple spotlight on Styles holding his Gibson guitar behind a watercolor-like curtain that shielded the stage from the audience. He instantly had the predominantly female audience begging for more after he finished his first song with the breezy, care-free tune “Ever Since New York.”
Throughout his set, Styles intermittently changed from playing rhythm guitar to feeling at home as the newly crowned front man of his band. He pleased the audience by playing every song off his debut album and took moments throughout to play various covers that touched upon his songwriting career and honored his personal taste in music.
Styles took time to play songs like the epitome of all things One Direction: “What Makes You Beautiful” and the coveted B-side “Stockholm Syndrome.” He also surprised fans by playing “Just a Little Bit of Your Heart,” which Ariana Grande originally performed, but also gave him his first solo-success into the world of publishing.
While all the covers Styles performed were praised for his personal rock-Americana twist to them, nothing stood out more than his cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.” With a passionate appreciation for Stevie Nicks, the encore performance he gave changed his playful stage presence.
Styles quickly transitioned from cultural phenomenon Harry Styles to presumably unknown rock ‘n’ roll icon in the making with a devoted love for music. Even with Mick Fleetwood in the audience, Styles knew it had to be an authentic performance for all generations to enjoy.
Set List:
“Ever Since New York”
“Two Ghosts”
“Carolina”
“Stockholm Syndrome” (One Direction cover)
“Sweet Creature”
“Only Angel”
“Woman”
“Meet Me in the Hallway”
“Just a Little Bit of Your Heart” (Ariana Grande cover)
“What Makes You Beautiful” (One Direction cover)
“Kiwi”
Encore
“From the Dining Table”
“The Chain” (Fleetwood Mac cover)
“Sign of the Times”
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Follow Liza Blake on Twitter: @liza_blake
