This past spring, after months of frantically scouring sites such as StubHub or SeatGeek, I finally scored Harry Styles tickets for his New York residency at Madison Square Garden. I vividly remember tearing up as I transferred the tickets to my wallet.
Styles is a British pop singer who got his start in the wildly popular boy band One Direction during the early 2010s. Since then, he’s had an impressive solo career. Styles has released four albums, including his self-titled album “Fine Line,” “Harry’s House” and his most recent release, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.” This August through October, Styles is completing a record-breaking 30-night residency at the New York venue.
My dad and I embarked on our two-hour drive to the “Big Apple” a little after 1 p.m. The drive went smoothly until we hit the traffic in the Lincoln Tunnel. The familiar sounds of shouting and honking echoed through the city.
My heart threatened to beat out of my chest after we walked out of the parking garage and were greeted with the sight of the Garden. The big, colorful lettering of the signs announcing the concert welcomed me in.
Our first course of action was to get merch. We entered the lobby, and the lines were shockingly short. I felt victorious as I exited with the recognizable blue hoodie.
I forced my dad to wait countless minutes for the coveted picture outside of the venue. We stood anxiously awaiting until the rotating billboard showed the screen announcing the concert. Once I was finally satisfied with my picture, it was time to eat.
Right down the street from Madison Square Garden was the restaurant “Mustang Harry’s.” The themed drinks and Styles’ songs blasting through the speakers created the perfect environment. We ate next to everyone wearing their concert outfits, which made us feel like part of a community.
Finally, the moment arrived. I pulled up the tickets on my Apple Wallet, and we passed seamlessly through security.
We were seated in the last row of section 226, but the view was still spectacular. The plethora of screens and circular stage ensured we wouldn’t miss a minute of the action.
The opener, Jamie xx, took the stage, and we were immersed in his techno-esque DJ set. We spent the hour jumping around and dancing to the upbeat music.
At 9 p.m., Madison Square Garden was filled with the sounds of excited screams as Styles strutted up to the stage. We all held our breath, waiting for him to start his opening song.
When the first notes of “Dance No More” rang out, I was transported to another reality. The next two hours felt more like two seconds; I never wanted the concert to end.
Styles played popular songs such as “As it Was” and “Watermelon Sugar,” but the song that stood out the most to me was “Sign of the Times.” Hearing my favorite song played live was truly an indescribable feeling.
As the final chords of his single “Aperture” played, Styles thanked the audience and exited the stage. Filing out of the arena with my dad, we both animatedly discussed how amazing the show was. In my opinion, it was the best concert I’ve ever experienced.