Project Description

Niall Horan

Flicker World Tour

@ Qudos Bank Arena, NSW

05/06/2018

(Live Review)

Reviewer: Cassandra Thomson

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Niall Horan

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The gloomy weather and pouring rain did not stop concert-goers and fans from travelling from all over Sydney to Qudos Bank Arena on Tuesday night. If you were one of the lucky 2,000 people to see Niall Horan’s only 2017 Sydney gig (which showcased Niall’s debut album Flicker before its official release) then this wasn’t your first rodeo… But for most, this was the first time they would witness Niall Horan as a solo artist, away from One Direction and in his own niche. With an almost sold out arena, the atmosphere was alive with colour; many fans doting an array of shirts, paying homage to One Direction, Niall and his other One Direction members.

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Along for the ride and the entire Australia and US tours, support act Maren Morris took the stage with her band. I wasn’t too sure what to expect from the American Country singer but within the 10-track set she performed, it was enough to make me a new fan. Singing an array of songs (including her current number one in the US) I Could Use A Love Song, Second Wind with a cover of Beyonce’s Halo, 80’s Mercedes and My Church, Maren commanded the attention of the entire crowd from the very beginning! For her first group of performances in Australia, Maren showed no nerves and was all poise on stage – sharing stories of her life, stories of her career and how her music got her to where she is today. Ending her set with what I would say is her most popular song, The Middle, Maren Morris showcased her incredible vocal range, proving what a true, down to Earth performer she is.

The 30 minute intermission was long and gruesome, waiting and waiting for Niall Horan and his band to arrive but when those lights went down… the crowd went absolutely wild. There was no fancy opener or video to begin the 18-track set, just a beautifully long-winded, electric guitar led opening to the first song of the concert and Niall’s last single from Flicker, On The Loose. Screaming fans across the arena almost drowned out the sound of Niall’s vocals as they sang along, every single one on their feet dancing to the music. And, it didn’t end there…

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Niall Horan showcased his Irish charm and humour in between sets, proclaiming that he was talking so much so the concert wouldn’t end. The 18-track set truthfully showed the journey that Niall Horan has been on these last eight years, from One Direction to going solo. Niall proclaimed himself as a “lazy songwriter”, writing some of the tracks from Flicker right on his lounge in between football games.

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See the Track List of

Niall Horan’s Flicker World Tour

right here –

On The Loose
The Tide
This Town
Paper Houses
Dancing In The Dark – Bruce Springsteen cover
Seeing Blind – featuring Maren Morris
Flicker
Fool’s Gold – One Direction cover
So Long
Crying In The Club – Camila Cabello cover
Too Much To Ask
Fire Away
Since We’re Alone
On My Own

Encore

Drag Me Down – One Direction cover
Slow Hands
Mirrors

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There were many highlights of the concert but if I was to name all of them, I might be here all day. Niall’s tribute to the first anniversary of the Manchester bombings and the One Love Manchester Concert was touching on all levels. A beautiful moment heightened when Niall dedicated the Sydney show to the lives lost in Manchester, looking upwards and saying, “we miss you, we love you forever”. What stood out more than anything was Niall’s performance of Flicker. He sincerely wore his heart on his sleeve during his performance – declaring this was the song he loved so much that he “named the album after”. All he asked was for all phones to be put away during the song, and the simple question was received as the whole arena descended into darkness; not a single phone light was on in the room. He repeated himself, one, two, three times, telling fans he wanted this performance to be a moment, taking every one of us to a place he envisioned. “Wherever this song takes you, go to that exact spot… if it makes you cry, bawl your eyes out…” Few tears were shed around me as he sung, fans too singing along to the emotional acoustic ballad.

The concert was truly about the fans, and the connection they shared with Niall and his music. Fans went wild when Niall sat at the piano for the first time; telling the crowd he couldn’t play it well, but he knew enough to write the melody for So Long – a track that was written for Flicker, but never made the cut due to production reasons. When the opening for Drag Me Down was played, the crowd erupted into pandemonium. The One Direction hit from their last album Made In The AM, was turned on its head and recreated as a pop-rock track to fit Niall’s niche, and was truly received well by fans old and new.

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Ending the concert with Mirrors, Niall said he wanted to get the “sad” songs out of the way and get the crowd moving… and that he did. Walking out red faced and sweaty, fans received a concert they would never forget from Niall and his band. Fans, both young and old, old and new, from the One Direction era and beyond were alive and proud on Tuesday night, singing along loudly to the One Direction songs played in the foyer of the arena, talking selfies with each other, smiling and laughing. The weather might have been miserable and dark, but each and every fan was anything but! I even had a wonderful older lady tell me she “loved” my shirt I was wearing in passing (a Harry Styles tour shirt from his Sydney show last month). But see, that’s the spirit of music right there. No hate, all love.

The Sydney show of the Flicker World Tour is one that I’m sure will not be forgotten anytime soon. It’s a fact that I like many are the product of the 1D era. We were fortunate enough to see the band go from strength to strength in the years they were together, and people may think that makes me a little bias. Maybe that’s true, but the music Niall Horan shares with the world is enough to outweigh any bias whatsoever. Yes, Niall Horan was a product of One Direction but the Niall Horan we witnessed on Tuesday night was a man; a mature, humble, sensational musician with a big heart for his fans, for Ireland and for his music and songwriting journey.

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The Flicker World Tour might not be over for Niall Horan just yet, but it is for his Australian fans. His incredible journey is only just beginning. I, for one, cannot wait to see what the rest of 2018 has in store for Niall Horan, his music and his fans across the world. Bring on album number two and bring on another Australian tour! For now, we wait…

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Niall Horan

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Photo Credit – Megan Carew

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Check out Megan’s Photo Gallery HERE

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Connect with Niall Horan!

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