Louis Tomlinson closes European Tour with career-best performance at the O2

Louis Tomlinson closed out his How Did I Get Here tour with a confident, electric show at a sold-out O2 Arena in London at the start of May.

ADMT kicked off the night at 7pm, singing ‘Homeless,’ engaging the crowd from the outset, and prompting hands in the air within the first chorus. 

He treated fans to a selection of songs off his new album From Good To Bad And Then Back Again, maintaining excellent crowd control throughout while showcasing a powerful voice. If he had any nerves performing in front of 20,000 people so early in his career, he didn’t show it. Towards the end, he teased the crowd with a rhetorical question, “Is someone else playing here tonight from Doncaster?” and feral screaming ensued. 

ADMT’s electrifying set was shortly followed by the Mancunian trio Pale Waves, who took to the stage at 7:45pm. They opened their set with ‘Eighteen’, showing off what terrific instrumentalists they are. Louis’ fans gave them a warm, personable reception, with a sea of LGBTQ+ flags waving in the air that didn’t go unnoticed by the queer band. 

Lead singer Heather’s vocals stunned the crowd, covering The Cranberries’ song ‘Zombie’, which felt all the more intentional and moving given the current times we are living in. Another highlight was ‘Television Romance’, a song I thought immediately could have been written by hitmakers The 1975. Post-concert research revealed that Matty Healy indeed was so impressed with this song that he produced it.

By 8:45pm, the arena was completely full. Noticeably, there was a huge age range amongst the crowd, many of whom likely discovered Louis post-One Direction, a testament to how strong his solo career has been to date. I hadn’t even gotten to my seat before I had been offered a friendship bracelet.

Many fans had made signs, and one fan was even dressed as Louis Tomlinson auditioning for the X-Factor, where his journey began.

Louis, however, isn’t stuck in the past, and he still can’t fully process where he is in the present. Shortly after opening with banger ‘Lemonade’ and decorating the audience with yellow confetti, he greets the crowd with an incredulous “London.. how the fuck did we get here?” It’s a question that has defined this current album cycle, with him literally naming his third studio album How did I get here? The answer, of course, lies in a career-best performance to a screaming crowd who held onto every word. Note to self: Always bring your loop earplugs. 

Louis maintained momentum, diving straight into ‘On Fire’, another highlight from his latest album, an infectiously catchy pop hit. He was supported by a superb band, with the guitarist taking a well-deserved spotlight during several epic guitar solos. During his high-energy indie-rock songs, the crowd didn't stop dancing once. 

The middle portion of Louis’ set consisted of several ballads, with ‘Dark to Light’ being a particularly poignant moment. It’s hard not to be moved, given the public losses Louis has persevered through in such a short span of time. 

Any sense of composition was obliterated when Louis surprised the audience with a One Direction classic, ‘Night Changes.’ For many, including myself, this was their first time getting to hear this song live. Other notable moments include Louis finding the time mid-song to quickly autograph fans’ signs, and him jumping up on the barricade during the closing song,  ‘Palaces’, as fans swarmed around him.

Vocally, he is at his best, and the night was also a display of his excellent songwriting. He jokes with fans halfway through that he is no longer shitting himself, as the first nine songs are always terrifying. He comes across as personable and genuine, earnestly stating, “Look at the life you have created for me.” It was his 23rd time on that stage, but finally, he is taking the spotlight he deserves.

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