Louis Tomlinson was cause for some incredible noise at the 3Arena on Thursday night. To nobody’s surprise, the front row was made up exclusively of long-time fans – whether they’d followed him since the One Direction days or found him in the years since. Many donned their signature Louis-yellow cowboy hats and held up signs reading everything from “I came here from New York” to “You saved my life,” turning the barricade into a patchwork of personal stories and devotion.
The intro track took us on a slow burn into one of the most deafening environments I’ve ever personally witnessed at a show. A laser projection painted the “How Did We Get Here?” question mark across the main screen before the intro tape rolled and we were launched into “Lemonade” as the opener. It was a statement start, appropriately accompanied by a giant confetti blast on the last chorus.
The setlist itself was expansive, pulling from across Tomlinson’s solo catalogue and tracing the evolution of his sound since stepping out alone. There’s a noticeable shift in his work – away from polished pop and into something more “rough around the edges”, rooted in indie – rock textures and live instrumentation. That shift translates even better on stage. The band gave the songs weight too, pushing them into a fuller, more urgent space that felt built for arenas.
Tomlinson isn’t a performer who relies on heavy choreography or tightly scripted moments. Instead, he leans on instinct by pacing the stage, engaging the front rows and stepping back at just the right moments to let the crowd take over entirely.
The show dipped into more reflective territory at several points throughout the night. Louis knows how to do a ballad – the intermittently fragile atmosphere made for even bigger peaks as the sets intensity fell and rose repeatedly. Tracks that might feel understated on record took on a new life.
Tomlinson didn’t dip into the One Direction catalogue at all – maybe something of a statement in itself. This was a show firmly rooted in who he is now and not in who he was. Nostalgia was no crutch and it worked well. We’ll be seeing two of the other former One Direction lads in the Arena later this year as Zayn and home-hero Niall Horan grace the stage. If the noise on this night was anything to go by, we can expect the same electric atmosphere again.
Support on the evening came from ADMT and Pale Waves. ADMT delivered a truly emotionally arresting set while Pale Waves, as expected, leaned fully into their brilliant, signature goth- indie, guitar driven classics.
ADMT photos:
Pale Waves photos:
Louis Tomlinson photos & set-list:
Setlist:
Lemonade
On Fire
Written All Over Your Face
Out of My System
Bigger Than Me
Saturdays
The Greatest
Dark to Light
Broken Bones
Defenceless
Just Hold On ((Steve Aoki & Louis Tomlinson)
Lazy
Sunflowers
Lucid
Jump The Gun
Imposter
Sanity
Kill My Mind
Face the Music
Silver Tongues
The Observer
_______________________
The Answer
Miss You
Palaces
Photos & Words by Myles Dunne – @MylesDunnePhoto