It has been nearly ten years since One Direction broke up, much to the dismay of their legions of fans. Yet, even as the years have passed, most of the band members have managed to sell out shows around the world. From Harry Styles’ sell-out stadium tour last year to Louis Tomlinson’s tour earlier this year, each of the members has had varying degrees of success in terms of breaking out of the boy-band mould. 

With a sold-out show of 20,000 screaming fans to see Horan take the stage for the first time in over 5 years in Sydney, there was a buzz around the arena as he took to the stage. Immediately, it was clear that this would be a more rock-tinged Horan than in the One Direction days. His opener “Nice to Meet Ya” morphed into a cover of “Edge of Seventeen” which sent the crowd absolutely wild. It was a creative start to the show and one that certainly set the energy for the rest of the night. 

Horan was well-supported by his band, who were on fire the whole night. It definitely elevated the performance and gave it a more cohesive feel throughout, especially in some of the rockier numbers. 

While the rock numbers were exciting, Horan was at his best in some of the slower numbers. He had the whole crowd singing along in “This Town”, which allowed him to explore some of the fragilities in his voice and bring them out over the acoustic guitar. His version of “Science” which immediately preceded “This Town” (also done acoustically) was also sublime. 

By far the biggest cheer of the night was unsurprisingly when Horan pulled out an acoustic version of the One Direction smash hit “Night Changes.” It was a tender version of the number, but was amplified by the 20,000-strong crowd who screamed out every lyric with a burning passion. It was a beautiful moment and reflective of the love that so many in the crowd still held for the band, even in a form of reminisce. 

Earlier in the night, the audience was treated to an opening set from British singer-songwriter, Birdie, which was also fantastic. Almost every song she performed was a hit, from her opening cover of “People Help the People” to her iconic cover of “Skinny Love”, which was delivered with the power and raw emotion that those who fell in love with the studio version became accustomed to. Although the crowd was there for Horan, a vast majority came early to see Birdie and were not disappointed with her set being of the highest quality. Many fans loved her new cover of Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” before she closed out her set with the ethereal “Wings.”

While Horan only played a single One Direction song in a clear attempt to distance himself from the band of his past, his setlist still felt highly recognisable, a testament to the amount of hits he has had as a soloist. He closed his set with “Slow Hands” which had the audience grooving along as he moved to the front of the stage and embraced his fans who had lined up for hours to get to the front of the mosh pit. 

This was a concert that brought back memories for One Direction fans but also offered a lot for newcomers to the Horan experience. While he might not quite have the voice or Freddie Mercury like charisma of former band-mate Harry Styles, he still has a charm that enticingly draws the audience in. He may have refused on more than one occasion to do a “shoe-y” at the request of the crowd but as he looked at the litany of signs around the room and signed many of them before heading of the stage, one thing was clear: this was someone who was loved by the room and who loved them all back. 

Rating: ★★★★

Niall Horan – Qudos Bank Arena – 1^st May, 2024