For around two months, there’s only been one name that’s on everybody’s lips: Harry Styles. He’s been seen on billboards, sweatshirts, tee-shirts, and TV all within the last couple of months. He is whizzing across the country on the North America leg of his Love on Tour. Every single location for his concerts — including Madison Square Garden — has sold out within twenty minutes. Most fans got their tickets two years ago, before covid, so the anticipation has caused only more of a buildup.
After waiting over a year for October 16th, 2021, I saw Harry Styles on his second show in New York. As I waited in line at MSG to get my merch, feather boas, cowboy hats and sunglasses scattered the venue. Styles had worn a feather boa at the Grammys last year and since has had an effect on fans. Before Styles arrived on stage, the arena was already filled with thousands of people singing his One Direction hits; the playlist Styles has played at all of his shows. The song “Olivia” by One Direction starts to play, and the crowd erupts in chants, claps, and whoops. One fan yelled “Not Wilde,” referencing his current relationship with actress and director Olivia Wilde. This relationship has “Harries” torn apart, whether it’s fake or real. This caused half of the crowd to laugh and others to shush.
The opening act for Styles was the singer Jenny Lewis. I had never heard of her before, and I wasn’t a fan of the music she sang. All of a sudden, the screens hanging from the ceiling lit up with tie-dye bunnies, and the crowd erupted in screams. Like a deity, Styles rises up from the stage to sing a top hit of his, “Golden.”
As a hardcore “Harrie” myself, I screamed for Styles and his bandmates. Mitch, the lead guitarist and Sarah, the drummer of his band, who met through Harry, now have a child together. In “She”, one of Styles’ songs from his second album, “Fine Line” is a five-minute melancholy, upbeat tune. Mitch has a two-minute guitar solo. I had high expectations, and he surely did not disappoint.
The concert went by in a blur. Harry Styles talked to the crowd, sang “Happy Birthday” to a fan, and ran around with pride flags during “Treat People With Kindness” one of the hits on his album. He’s done this at every one of his shows, in a Rolling Stones Article from 2019 saying, “I want to make people feel comfortable being whatever they want to be.” During his final song, “Kiwi,” the whole stadium jumped, and the arena shook below my feet.
That night was one of the best days of my life, and I’ll never forget it. Styles loves New York City so much that he came back for a very special weekend. It was Harryween. The fans in attendance on October 30th and 31st dressed up. This was not unusual for a Harry Styles concert, considering his fans have a unique sense of style, everyone dressing up for the concerts within their own creativity.
Because of its popularity, Harryween caught the attention of Vogue and the New York Times. Both publications wrote articles about it. They interviewed fans, asking about their unique signs and costumes. Harry himself, on Night 1 of Harryween, was dressed up as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. Mitch was the Cowardly Lion to Sarah being the Wicked Witch of the West. He even sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” considering his costume, which was unexpected. That night was spectacular. Night 2, though, was something else.
Styles dressed up as the sad clown Pierrot, despite speculation on fans guessing how he would dress up, including a cowboy, he showed up as the sad clown Pierrot. Before the big show, a rumor circulated Twitter, saying he would sing Medicine, which he performed a couple of times during his last tour in 2018. Though the song has not been released, most devoted fans know the song by heart, including me, who actually began to cry once I realized I wouldn’t be there for the possibility of it being played. The rumors were in fact true, and he sang it, and I did in fact cry again, as I scrolled through the hundreds of tik tok videos of users who had filmed it. He not only in fact sang Medicine but Toxic by Britney Spears, which made me cry even more.
Styles’ tour was supposed to end around the end of November, but he is now coming back to New York for the sixth time, opening for the first time ever a new arena in Belmont Park, Long Island, making this his official last stop. Sadly, I won’t be there to watch it.
After having four shows at Madison Square Garden, Styles’ is now among the list of elite singers who have received the “Golden Ticket,” which goes to artists who have sold out five shows at Madison Square Garden, which is over 100,000 attendees at every show.
His positive energy and kindness show who he truly is, and I, along with millions of others, will continue to follow him for the years to come.