.

.

.

The main street where the Enmore Theatre lives was alive with colour last night, as we walked towards the venue where Niall Horan would play his first ever and only 2017 Australian headline show, Flicker Sessions, as a solo artist.

Every spot along the side walk was crowded with fans of all ages; wearing such eager, excited and slightly impatient expressions upon their faces. The line could not move fast enough as the sold-out show filed over 2,500 lovers of Niall and his music into the venue. As a 1D fan, I’m sure I’m not the only one who walked in with a degree of expectation; especially if you had been to a past show of theirs in those colossal stadiums across the country. Going from a capacity of over 40,000 to a small enclosed venue of 2,500 I’m sure was a definite change for Niall Horan. The intimate atmosphere that the venue and overall sensual lighting production brought to the concert was electrified tenfold.

.

Photo Credit – Gwendolyn Lee Photography (2017)

.

First up was the support act Kyle Lionhart – an incredibly witty Indie/Folk artist from Byron Bay. Unfamiliar with his work like many it seemed, Kyle Lionhart managed to capture the attention of every single person in the room with his music, his wit and humour and his little stories that helped create his songs. With two records under his belt, Lionhart played a collection of tracks from his two EPs, Keep in Mind and Eleven & Two; including the songs Sweet Girl, Compromise and Class A Girl.

He seemed wholeheartedly relaxed with the massive crowd in front of him, at ease and looking like he was completely at home on stage as he made sure he cracked a few jokes along the way; laughing at the fact he had only learnt There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back by Shawn Mendes hours before he played the cover on stage while playfully threatening to play all of Niall’s songs so he would be “screwed”. Whether you’re into the acoustic Indie/Folk genre or not, Kyle Lionhart’s set was every bit enjoyable and was the sure-fire way to rile up the crowd ready for Niall Horan! I’m sure he gained a few (or many) new fans from last night.

.

Photo Credit – Gwendolyn Lee Photography (2017)

.

The intermission was a long and agonising wait (if you call waiting 30 minutes agonising…) but that didn’t stop fans throughout the theatre from chanting Niall’s name in unison. Before we knew it, Niall and his band were hitting the stage! The crowd erupted into tidal waves of screaming; so loud you couldn’t think!

A fresh faced 16-year-old no longer, Niall Horan adorned a simple white t-shirt, jeans and boots as he stood in the middle of the stage with his guitar, starting off the opening track to his 14-track set!

.

Photo Credit – Gwendolyn Lee Photography (2017)

.

Check out the setlist from the Niall Horan show below –

• The Tide

• Seeing Blind

• This Town

• Paper Houses

• You and Me

• Fire Away

• Flicker

• Too Much To Ask

• Since We’re Alone

• Mirrors

• On The Loose

Encore –

• Fool’s Gold (from the One Direction 2014 album, Four)

• Slow Hands

• On My Own

.

Photo Credit – Gwendolyn Lee Photography (2017)

.

Despite the minimal talking between songs, Niall said everything he wanted to and more in that time. Always having a close connection with Australia, he noted to fans that “there was no way I wasn’t coming to Australia” which only sent them into a roaring pandemonium. Incredibly humble about his journey as a solo artist so far, he thanked fans for sending his latest single, Slow Hands to Triple Platinum in Australia.

What really stuck with me throughout the night was what Niall had said in his short speeches. He noted that the songs he had written for his debut album were the “most important songs he’s ever written”, saying that Flicker; the track that titled the album was the song that “changed the whole course of his album” and how he wanted to share this with fans before the official album release. Coming to the realisation that this venue was the first group of Aussies to listen and get a real first glimpse of Niall Horan’s debut solo album live was mind blowing. If that’s not something incredibly special for fans old and new, then I don’t know what is.

.

Photo Credit – Gwendolyn Lee Photography (2017)

.

Each track (regardless of their genre and lyrical symbolism) took you on a journey to the inner workings of Niall Horan’s mind, a small rollercoaster ride each and every time. As much as everyone (including me) was immersed in the entire set, what was incredibly exhilarating most of all was the encore. The three-track encore produced many emotions for fans. What was exciting was seeing the past and present of Niall collide as he played a solo, acoustic version of Fool’s Gold; taken from the 2014 One Direction hit album, Four. It was not a major global hit single for 1D, but Niall took it and stripped it back to the bare minimum and made it an absolute hit with the fans who sang along the entire time. Signalling the start of Slow Hands, Niall jumped and stomped one, two, three times on the stage, sending fans into a massive sing along. Niall closed the show with On My Own, a real Irish folk song which goes deep to the roots of Niall’s Irish heritage.

For every One Direction fan old and new, last night was the first of many whirlwind experiences to hit our shores. One Direction may be no longer, but what emerged from such a stellar career as a band was something even more unique and special; their individual music careers. The direction Niall Horan chose to take with his music was something I don’t think many expected BUT if anything, the course he chose was so much more fitting than I could have ever imagined. Comfortable with a guitar in his hands the entire time, Niall Horan has evolved into a songwriting, lyrical genius genuine about the songs he writes and focused on keeping his down to earth nature and Irish heritage heavily involved in his music.

.

Photo Credit – Gwendolyn Lee Photography (2017)

.

I watched as every fan walked out of that concert with the brightest of smiles, laughing and reminiscing on the events of the night with friends and family. I’m almost certain too that every fan was already anxiously counting down the days to Niall Horan’s eminent return to Australia in June. I gotta say, I think I was one of them too.

.

Welcome back to Australia, Niall Horan.
Thank you for a night I and many others will never forget. Bring on June!

.

Check out Gwendolyn Lee Photography‘s Photo Gallery from the Niall Horan Flicker Sessions show here.

.

.

AMNPLIFY – DB