After blowing fans away with his gold certified debut album, Harry Styles is now giving fans the time of their lives on his world tour. Monday, September 25th, Harry quite literally took his fans to church by playing the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. The venue was originally built to be a house of worship, the pews and stained glass windows are still intact. Styles was honored to be playing on the stage where legends such as Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley once stood. When greeting the crowd, Harry said, “When we booked this tour, this was the kind of reason, this room.”
Styles’s sold out show included two talented opening acts, Muna and Cam. Muna, an alternative band, kicked off the night with their fun and uplifting set. This band did not hold back and had a strong stage presence. A song that stood out in their set was “I Know A Place”, it’s funky vibe had the crowd on their feet. The second opening act was Cam, a country music artist with a voice that could remind someone of Carrie Underwood. Cam was full of energy as she fulfilled her dream of performing of the stage of the Mother Church. Cam paid tribute to Ryman Auditorium royalty, Patsy Cline, during her set. The country music singer also sang her hit, “Burning House” as the crowd sang along to every word.
Both opening acts graciously expressed their gratitude and praised Harry in regards to his personal stance on treating people with kindness. The slogan “Treat People With Kindness” can be found on some items of Harry’s tour merchandise
Styles’s began his 14 song set with a song from his self-titled album, “Ever Since New York” is a classic oldie sounding tune. The British singer debuted the song on Saturday Night Live in April prior to the release of his album. Harry worked three impressive covers into his setlist. The crowd went absolutely crazy during his rock inspired rendition of “What Makes You Beautiful”, a salute to his band, One Direction. Along with paying tribute to his One Direction days, Harry, a die-hard Fleetwood Mac, paid homage to them in a cover of “The Chain”. Styles made his love for Fleetwood Mac public when he brought a carrot cake to Stevie Nicks at one the several Fleetwood Mac shows he has attended. Stevie also made an appearance at one of Harry’s shows following the release of his album, the two sang Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” at the legendary Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA. The British singer also made a salute to country music while in country music’s capitol with Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” which Styles released on Spotify as a single later in the week.
The crowd went crazy for Style’s supposed third single, Kiwi. The singer went absolutely nuts for for his own psychedelic rock tune. The energy in that room was magical the entire night. The Ryman Auditorium has perfect acoustics for intimate shows. While Harry’s strong voice could be heard crystal clear, the chorus of his fans could also be heard which made the experience even more meaningful. As someone who has attended several One Direction shows, I found it gratifying to be able to appreciate just Harry as an performer.
At One Direction shows, you are watching all of them so it is hard to focus on one single member when all four members are equally talented. It was nice to be able to celebrate Harry as an artist and as the unique individual that he is. Just as it will be nice to celebrate each of the other boys at their own shows. Harry proved how strong of a solo artist he is, though any one of his fans would of vouched for him before even seeing his live show. Harry Styles absolutely lit up and owned the Ryman stage with his powerful stage presence and insane natural talent. Styles has a way of making everyone in the crowd feel special and loved. It was an honor to be in the audience at a show he will never forget.