Over the next six months, we are set to see One Direction mania in Sydney, with Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson all descending upon the Harbour City for their solo gigs. It was Tomlinson who kicked things off, having confronted a slightly embarrassing situation with the decision to downgrade his show from Afterpay Arena to the much smaller Hordern Pavilion before his Australian tour. Indeed, the Hordern Pavilion even seemed slightly too big a venue for Tomlinson, with the upper seats being roped off, which is never the best look. With that said, it is a credit to Tomlinson that he still came out and performed at a time when other artists like Stephen Sanchez, Charlie Puth and Usher have cancelled their shows when they haven’t met the requisite ticket sales.
Newcastle band Rum Jungle kicked off the show, bringing a youthful exuberance and fantastic energy to the crowd, most of whom came early for the openers. It was a great set of classic Aussie alt-rock and was very well received by the crowd. With a new album on the way, this is a band who are very much one to watch as their discography grows.
When Tomlinson took to the stage, there was a rush of screams befitting the fandom that the singer developed through One Direction and he started off strong with the powerful “Lemonade” to kick off the set. It was an energetic start, with his fantastic band behind him and the crowd immediately getting into the performance.
“I don’t spend too much time here but when I do I love it,” said Tomlinson. “I’ve got a good feeling about tonight.”
Tomlinson was heavily backed by his backing singers throughout the night but this only created a fuller sound and so it was perhaps a wise choice. Less wise was his decision to strip back the Foo Fighters’ “My Hero” into an acoustic version, which didn’t quite work, both musically and with the demographic in the room however, this was very quickly followed by a solo rendition of the One Direction hit “Night Changes” (which is arguably their most powerful song), and the crowd went absolutely wild, singing along as Tomlinson and his band took to the front of the stage to perform a laid-back version. It was a touching moment and one that very much felt like it was for the fans in the room, providing a reminder of the connection that Tomlinson still has with the legions of Directioners that catapulted him into stardom.
After some more laid-back songs in “Lazy”, “Sunflowers” and “Lucid”, he moved back to the main stage for some more upbeat fun, with “The Spark” being one of the highlights of the set thanks to its brash energy. It was a welcome change of pace and showed the more energetic side of Tomlinson’s solo material. Tomlinson engaged with the fans throughout the whole night, saying on more than one occasion how grateful he was to be there, which was a lovely touch given that he could have felt bitter about the downgrade but instead, he showed true generosity to his audience, which was very well received and helped create a warm atmosphere throughout the night. For his encore, he closed out with “The Answer”, “Miss You” and “Palaces”, which was a wonderful way to close out the night of music and send the crowd home with huge smiles.
Overall, this was a fun show with plenty of nostalgia for the One Direction fans in the room, as Tomlinson gave them everything they wanted. While his solo work doesn’t have the complexity and fire of Styles’ work or the listenability of Horan’s work, within the limitations of his discography, Tomlinson did a good job of engaging the audience and bringing them all together for a night of fun. While it may not be his new music bringing people in, there’s no doubt that this was a fun show for those drawn in by the One Direction nostalgia. Given that Tomlinson promised he’d be back, it’s clear that there will be more nostalgia to come.
Rating: ★★★★
Louis Tomlinson – Hordern Pavilion – 22 October 2026
All photo credits: Jonathan White @objetperdu
This is the harshet review with you starting off on negatives. Why do you feel it is necessary to highlight the negatives first and why do you need to compare him to the other 1D boys. Seriosly backing singers….it was his band. Such a pitiful review of what was an extroirdinary show. His version of My Hero is outstanding and the fact that yoiu say this when he is basically singing it for Liam who he lost a couple of years ago is just mindblowing.
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Hi Clare, thanks for reading. This was not intended to be a harsh review (in fact quite the contrary). I think it’s a relevant point to mention the prominence of backing singers doubling the track but appreciate that this will hold different weighting for different people. I take your point about starting with the ‘negatives’ but the crowd is the first thing that one notices upon entering the venue and in any case, I don’t actually consider it a ‘negative’ – it is a positive that Louis still came and put on a great show (which I mentioned in my review).
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You obviously don’t know much at all about Louis Tomlinson outside of One Direction and nothing about the solo career he has built through hard work and brilliant lyricism over the last 10 years.
Just a couple of notes for you then for next time.
His fan demographics are wide ranging from children to 70 plus adult. Many of them discovering Louis’ music well after One Direction went on hiatus. With many new fans coming on board after the release of his latest album How Did I Get Here.
His music is different to Harry Styles and Niall Horan and that should be celebrated! Diversity in music is enriching is it not? And it’s the reason his fans love his music dearly. It has heart if you only take the time to listen.
The acoustic version of My Hero is an arrangement that the fans had been excited for, hopeful that he would sing it in Australia. It is well loved by all his fans no matter their “demographic” and the way his vocals soar during this song is simply magical to hear.
As an “older” adult fan myself I have seen MANY artists come and go and none of their music has touched me the way Louis’ has. The love his fans have for him and the way he gives it back to them is, I believe, unmatched.
We are so very lucky he didn’t cancel these shows as you said many before him have. That’s the way he is. Success to us and to Louis is doing what you love. Not the number of ticket sales or lining the pockets of your managers as seems to be other artists main goal.
I will give you credit for noticing The Spark. It is spectacular live and the shows closing trio of songs are truly a celebration.
Would just be lovely for you to see Louis’ shows for what they are to us. A celebration of his beautiful lyrical mind and not just some “nostalgia”.
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Hi Julie, thanks for reading. I agree Louis’ music is different to Harry and Niall’s music but I think the reality is the comparisons are always going to be inevitable – that’s just the nature of the business. I try to write my reviews as dispassionately as possible (notwithstanding that there will always be a degree of subjectivity in one’s experience – that’s why we still have human reviewers!) For this reason, in my reviews, I absolutely try to acknowledge the fan experience but also try to take a broader view of the performance, otherwise it would start to veer into PR territory. Thanks for your feedback and I do understand where you are coming from but hopefully that explains my approach a little.
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With all due respect, that’s bullshit.
Does anyone compare Paul McCartney to George Harrison?
Does anyone compare Phil Collins to Peter Gabriel?
Does anyone compare Michael Jackson to Janet Jackson?
At some point you JUST NEED TO BLOODY LET IT GO. And that point was approximately ten years ago.
This whole review reads like a mine worker reviewing diamond setting. You might want to stick to reviewing coal mining, because it doesn’t seem like you know a single thing about music.
In 40 years of going to concerts and I can count covers that even come close to Louis Tomlinson’s rendition of My Hero on one hand. If the Foo Fighters themselves deem it worthy to reshare it on their own IG story, chances are your opinion is based on a long outdated former-boy-bander bias.
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While everyone is entitled to their opinion, I found parts of this review quite disappointing. Louis has spent years establishing himself as a solo artist, yet so much of this article focuses on One Direction nostalgia, comparisons with his former bandmates and the size of the venue. The suggestion that fans aren’t really there for his solo music is particularly frustrating. The overwhelming majority of his setlist consists of his own songs, and the audience knows and sings every word. That connection is something Louis has built through his own music, not simply something he’s inherited from One Direction. Having attended all his Australian shows, I witnessed an incredibly passionate performer who clearly loves what he does and has a genuine connection with his audience. Louis deserves to be judged on his own artistry and achievements, rather than constantly measured against Harry and Niall or reduced to his One Direction past. There’s so much more to Louis Tomlinson as an artist than nostalgia, and I wish this review had explored that.
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Hi Nadine, thanks for reading. Fair enough on the solo artist point, I addressed this in some detail in some of my other comments. I’m not sure I agree that so much of the article focusses on nostalgia, comparisons and the size of the venue. I address this in the first and last paragraphs but that’s pretty much it. But thank you for the feedback and glad you enjoyed the night!
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Your review from 2024 sounds eerilie similar to this years’ review. Coincidence or not who knows right?
Anyway – your comment from 2024:
‘While the jury is still out on whether the strength of Tomlinson’s music will allow him a lasting career as a successful solo artist’ – with another #1 album and world tour under his belt I’d say Louis’ solo career is going quite well wouldn’t you?
And btw – Foo Fighters re-posted a video of Louis & his band’s version of My Hero. I don’t think they’d re-post a cover of their song if in their professional opinion it was no good.
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Hi Sonja, thanks for reading. Believe it or not, I actually didn’t look at my 2024 review before writing this one. Perhaps the fact that there’s some overlap in points is a talking point in itself? In any case, I think the best approach generally is just to review the show in front of me but if you’d like a comparison, I’d say this show felt more cohesive overall (as evidenced by my increased star rating).
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Approaching forty, I discovered Louis through his latest album, having never heard of 1D. Yes, we exist. He changed my 2026, rewired my playlists and got me to seven concerts in the space of 2 months. more than any other artist. Quite a commitment to “nostalgia” I don’t even have. Rolling Stone UK put the album in its top ten of 2026; apparently his solo music does bring people in. His concerts are a special place where artist, band and fans become one, everyone singing along: you could try it next time. I watched Sydney on livestream, and that joy came through even over Wi-Fi. His band is amazing. Thanks to Jonathan White for the three lovely photos: they captured what the review missed.
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