The concert, which was postponed because of Corona, was a firework of hits without a hitch, a rock, pop, funky and sometimes soulful party, celebrated by a star that was anything but aloof. The nice Harry masters his profession and his fans.
Even with the support act Wolf Alice, the atmosphere in the hall was exuberant. Whoever came up with the idea of inviting the London alternative rock band to Styles’ “Love On Tour” deserves credit. The double feature of indie and mainstream pop worked well. Wolf Alice, previously at home in the Flex and the Arena, didn’t hold back and immediately confronted the audience with guitar rock (“Smile”) and later also with punk (“Play The Greatest Hits”). Last but not least, Ellie Rowsell underlined what a great singer she is with the goose bumps ballad “The Last Man On Earth”.
“As It Was” as an encore
Harry Styles may draw a predominantly young, female audience like a magnet conditioned to deafening singing and screeching, but it’s the singer’s attitude and it’s the songs that speak to their hearts – feather boas down, pink cowboys – Hats on (both obligatory accessories at a Styles gig like black t-shirts and beer at AC/DC). The music matters and Styles delivered. The “Music For A Sushi Restaurant”, which continued as a tribute to Prince, opened the colorful dance.
Ten songs from his current, highly acclaimed album “Harry’s House” were offered, and their live performance underpinned the quality of the compositions. The light and fluffy “Daylight”, the soul and funk fueled “Cinema” or the irresistible catchy tune “Late Night Talking” also worked in earthier arrangements compared to the glossy studio versions. Styles saved the hypnotic dance track “As It Was”, also number one in the Austrian single charts, for the encore part.
Mission to the fans: “I love you” saying
Why the parquet floor in the Stadthalle was furnished is a matter of puzzlement. Nobody remained seated, not even in the stands, where fans had equipped themselves with colored lights in uniform colors depending on the sector, in order to create the right disco ambience for “Lights Up”, corresponding to the title and style of the song. The 11,000 made the mega-chorus to “Treat People With Kindness”, the leitmotif of the 28-year-old.
From “Adore You” onwards, Styles sought proximity to the fans via the catwalk (on which “Matilda” and “Boyfried” were later acoustically intoned) and issued the motto: “Feel free to be what you always wanted to be.” The request to hold hands and say “I love you” to the person on the left may seem artificial. But as an alternative to the empathetic elbow society, Style’s “We should all respect and appreciate each other” message is justified. Harry’s support when a fan comes out has now become a show ritual (also in Vienna), but is probably a blessing for those affected.
Speaking of the show: Styles, who often dresses gaudy, completed the program in black and white checked trousers and a T-shirt with a kiwi motif. There were no gimmicks, just pure music. Instead of Pyros, the hits ignited: “Sign Of The Times”, “Watermelon Sugar”, “As It Was” and “Kiwi” concentrated to a furious conclusion. With “Medicine” the flawless entertainer also packed a previously unreleased track in between. The next Vienna station will probably be the stadium – rightly so.
Source: Nachrichten
