Just one day after One Direction’s 16 year anniversary, Louis Tomlinson wrapped up the North American leg of his ‘How Did We Get Here?’ World Tour at University of Miami’s Watsco Center.
If you had told 10-year-old me that I would one day see each member of One Direction perform solo, I would have, one, never believed you, and two, never believed the band wouldn’t actually come back from its supposed 18-month hiatus.
Before Tomlinson took the stage, concertgoers were treated to performances from two different opening bands. The first band was UK-based indie-rock band Picture Parlour, followed by Canadian rock band The Beaches, who both warmed up the crowd with energetic sets.
The crowd’s excitement only grew once Tomlinson took the stage with “Lemonade,” the funky, upbeat lead single off of his album, “How Did I Get Here.”The stage featured moving screens and utilized lasers to keep the energy up all night.
A few songs later, during “Sanity,” fans in the pit started a conga line, while two inflatable soccer balls bounced around the audience and occasionally made their way on stage.
Tomlinson’s unmistakable accent stood out to me throughout the night. Having seen numerous British artists perform live over the years, I’ve noticed that many sing with a more neutral accent. Tomlinson, however, somehow still sounds undeniably British, giving even familiar lyrics an extra bit of personality that made the performance feel uniquely his.
Honoring where he got his start, one of my favorite moments of the night was when Tomlinson played “Night Changes,” a song from One Direction’s album, “Four.” I was reduced to tears and I am immensely grateful to have heard the song live.
As the final song came to a close, Tomlinson walked along the front barricade to greet fans one last time. In the process, he lost his overshirt to the crowd, a fittingly chaotic ending to the night.
As fans slowly made their way toward the exits, “Hey There Delilah” by the Plain White T’s played throughout the arena. It was the same song Tomlinson auditioned with on The X Factor in 2010, a subtle, nostalgic nod to bring the night full circle.
Sixteen years after One Direction’s formation, the North American leg of his tour ended with the song that helped start it all.