Hi again!

For my second blog post, I will be reviewing a recent concert I attended in
Vancouver, British Columbia. (Yes, I did in fact fly to BC for this concert) This was for none other than Mr. Harry Styles.

 

One Direction Days

Eight years ago, a young 16-year-old boy auditioned on the popular tv show called the X-Factor. It was here where thousands of people competed for the top spot. Originally, Harry Styles was trying out as a solo act but was eventually placed with four other boys to continue on as a band. Thus, One Direction was born.

Within weeks, One Direction had a huge fan base. Mostly teenage girls who loved their hair, but nonetheless people were listening to their music.  Eventually, One Direction was eliminated from the X-factor but their newfound fame did not stop. Within 5 years, One Direction had 5 albums, a movie, and sold out world stadium tours.

One Direction seemed to have everything going for them. Then, the band announced it was going on a break in August of 2015. Fast forward to May 12th, 2017 and Harry Styles released his own 10 song album.

Harry’s album fell under the Pop genre but after listening to it many, many times I found myself thinking of it as more of an alternative rock.

Sign of The Times

“Sign of the Times” was the first and most popular song Harry released back in 2017. This song has a dark and almost heartbreaking feel to it. With the long drawn out piano notes, one can sense a mix of Pink Floyd and David Bowie all in one.

To me, “Sign of the Times” is a song about coming to terms with the end of something in our lives, whether that is a relationship, friendship, or just the past in general.

“Just stop your crying it’s the sign of the times”

This meaning that there are things in our life that we can not change and as painful as it, sometimes the only thing one can do is move on.

Later in the song Styles also writes,

“Remember, everything will be alright
We can meet again somewhere
Somewhere far away from here.”

Now to me, this translates to let things happen as they may. It is never too late and no one knows what your future holds. While things might not always seem so great, whats meant to be will be, and everything will be okay in the end.

Truthfully, no one will ever fully know why Harry wrote those words or what they were meant for, however, we all have our own take and make our own inferences. That is what makes music so beautiful, everyone can take what they want from songs and make them their own story.

Kiwi

Most of the time Harry sticks to the soft acoustic songs we all know and love. Therefore, his single Kiwi was certainly a step out of the comfort zone. Debuting at number 66 on the charts, this single is hard rock and roll and has a rebellious feel to it.  With lyrics such as

“She worked her way through a cheap pack of cigarettes, Hard liquor mixed with a bit of intellect” 

one feels like they are back in the 70’s and consumed in a different world. Another thing to note about “Kiwi” is the intense work of the drums and guitar. With such a high-intensity song, it’s important the background music can keep up. I specifically enjoyed the work of the drums during faster parts of the song, and then suddenly the drums fade and only Harry’s voice is heard. For me, this allows the listener to pay more attention to the lyrics and connect that much more with the song.

Rogers Arena

As mentioned earlier, the concert took place at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia.  The arena itself holds around 19 000 people, but yet even though almost every seat was filled, it was one of the most intimate concerts I have ever experienced.  There were no backup dancers, no extravagant stage or lights, just Harry, his band and 19 000 people softly singing along. This was a chilling experience and something I  wish I could relive.

Audience

Coming to Vancouver, I imagined the concert to be filled with screaming young girls like myself. And while there was plenty of them, there was also people of every age. I specifically remember standing in shock while a man who looked to be about in his seventies asked to sneak past me. My point is, Harry Styles produces music that everyone can find joy in and those who still label him as nothing but a “teenage boy band” couldn’t be more wrong.

Reflection

Seeing Harry Styles live and in concert has been a dream of mine since I first watched him years ago.  The feeling of joy and excitement I got before the concert even began was indescribable. One thing that stuck with me after the concert was how humble Harry Styles is. For example, as he walked out on stage he calmly spoke into the mic and introduced himself

“Hi Vancouver, my name is Harry and I am so incredibly honored to play for you guys tonight.”

I think one of the reasons this concert meant so much to me is because of how much I look up to Harry Styles and how there are so many qualities in him that I want in myself.

As much as this concert meant to me, I believe it meant just as much to others. One of the many reasons millions of people love Harry Styles as much as I do is because of how accepting he is. It doesn’t matter about the color of your skin, your sexuality, or gender. Harry wanted everyone to feel welcome and embrace who they are, or whoever they want to be.

Works Cited

Lent, Jason. “The Revolution “Harry Styles”.” May 26, 2017. Accessed July 15, 2018.

Cunningham, John M. “One Direction.” Encyclopædia Britannica. June 26, 2018. Accessed July 19, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/topic/One-Direction.Penrose, Nerisha, and Lyndsey Havens.

“One Year After One Direction’s Hiatus Announcement: A Timeline.” Billboard. October 18, 2016. Accessed July 17, 2018. https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop

Conte, HJ, Columbia Records, and Sony Music Entertainment. “Debut Album out Now.” Harry Styles. Accessed July 1, 2018. https://hstyles.co.uk/.