Harry Styles
(Picture: Matt Crossick/Global/Shutterstock)Returning to Wembley for the first time since 2019, Capital FM’s Summertime Ball proved in robust health after its enforced pandemic sabbatical, drawing a rowdy crowd of 80,000 with its starry poptastic bill. But right from the start, there was no doubt who was the main attraction. “Harry Styles is in the building!” squealed one of the hosts early in this marathon eight-hour show, triggering mass hysteria that could probably be heard on the Moon.
The musical menu began with a brisk four-song set by Ed Sheeran, one of the few Summertime Ball artists who could fill Wembley on his own. Indeed, he performed so early because he had a second stadium to play later the same day, in Manchester. As ever, Sheeran was endearingly wholesome but entirely devoid of the charisma, originality or sexy mischief that characterises great pop music. His phenomenal chart success remains genuinely baffling. Perhaps some eccentric billionaire is buying up all his albums and using them for landfill?
After Sheeran’s perky intro, the long and winding road to Harry Styles dragged a little. Too much of the Summertime Ball was padded out with interchangeable dance-pop divas and generic reality TV stars. For a musical metropolis as rich, creative and multicultural as London, this mixtape of mundanity felt oddly limited and conservative, especially in such a fertile period for buzzy young chart-toppers. Why no Little Simz? No Wet Leg? No Central Cee?
In fairness, Swedish singer Mabel brought chic glamour and catchy melodic hooks to Wembley, even if she has chosen a far more conventional path than her avant-pop star mum, Neneh Cherry. A late addition to the bill, Sam Ryder earned rapturous applause with his Eurovision anthem Space Man, then spread warm vibes in the VIP seating area afterwards by posing for selfies with excitable young fans. Fair play to Ryder for milking his 15 minutes of fame to the max.
Anne-Marie also brought straight-talking Essex realness, deceptively gritty lyrics and an impressively rubber-limbed dance troupe to the party. After such a bland afternoon, her high-energy performance was a refreshing reminder that great pop should be sexy, cheeky and funny.
Harry Styles lifted the mood further with his five-song headline set. Clearly maturing into a slick soul-pop sophistocrat at the grand age of 28, the former One Direction singer took effortless command of Wembley, tirelessly bounding and twirling to every corner of the vast stage, waving a rainbow-coloured Pride flag to huge cheers. The preposterously handsome Styles signed off with a mass sing-along to his recent chart-topper As It Was, a shiny earworm reminiscent of prime-time A-Ha. And yes, that is a compliment.
This was a frustratingly brief performance, but also an enticing taster menu for the singer’s ongoing arena tour, and a classy climax to an otherwise hit-and-miss pop carnival.
