When One Direction split in 2016, it was obvious that Harry Styles would be the one to secure massive solo stardom. Less expected was the longevity of the band’s more unassuming member, Niall Horan. Having released three solo records in the subsequent eight years, two of which hit No 1, Horan has, like Styles, maintained a dedicated (if smaller) fanbase, most of whom have stuck with him as he’s graduated to artist in his own right.
Judging by the volume of tonight’s crowd they are pretty fervent, too. Within seconds of Horan appearing on stage, the screams become so deafening that your eyes go fuzzy. He kicks off the show with the Happy Mondays-meets-Arctic Monkeys strutter Nice to Meet Ya, wielding a guitar like a proper rock star. Behind him, onstage setup like a TV variety show from the 70s, his band keep pace, including a violinist who, at times, steals the spotlight. He fires through the first four songs, burying the breezy On the Loose, one of his best, early in the set. “Are you ready for a bit of a sing-song?” he asks when things finally slow. “Lovely.”
Horan is a competent performer. He skips down a catwalk to the twang of Heaven, and flirtatiously shimmies his hips during If You Leave Me, his voice gravelly and powerful. He can also deliver a crowd pleaser: vibing off the energy of the audience, he gives pomp-rock stomper Stockholm Syndrome, a fan favourite deep cut from the One Direction days, a rare outing. The response is genuinely exhilarating.
However, it also highlights the gaps in Horan’s own arsenal. If you’re not a hardcore fan, his songs – mostly 80s-indebted guitar pop and strumming Mumford-style balladry – can blur together. The lack of crowd interaction and static nature of the staging doesn’t help: while he jumps about a bit, Horan clearly feels safest jamming behind a guitar. It leaves you longing for something with more pizzazz.
The crowd don’t seem to mind. “When I was a kid in my bedroom learning how to play Wonderwall from YouTube, there’s no way that I thought I’d be here 14 years later,” he says. For Horan and his fans, that is clearly enough.
