“A couple of things about the show before we get really started,” Harry Styles explained to his sold-out crowd on the first of three nights at the Forum in Los Angeles Wednesday night (Nov. 17).
“As you can see, tonight’s show will be all around,” he continued, gesturing toward the diamond layout of the stage placed in the center of the floor, with two walkways on either side — guaranteeing a proper look at the English superstar at some point in the show, no matter where you’re seated. “This mostly means three things. Number one, it’s very tiring for me, which is fine. It makes no difference to you. You just get to watch.”
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“Number two, some of the time, I’m going to be facing you,” Styles went on, looking directly into the eyes of an excited fan, dressed in pink sequined pants, a feather boa and light-up cowboy hat. “We’re going to be face-to-face, eye-to-eye, window of soul-to-window of soul. Which leads me to number three, which is, some of the time, I’m going to be facing away from you, which mean you’re going to be looking at my ass.”
The venue shaking screams were then met by the charming 27-year-old asking his fans, “If you have a preference, or you find yourself developing a preference at some point during the show, please feel free to let it be known.”
At that point, the jumbotrons above him showed a handmade sign by a fan in the audience, letting it be very known with her big, bold lettering: “I prefer ass.”
While the casual, silly interaction that kicked off the evening seems like a hilarious scene that is a recipe for TikTok virality, it indicates so much more about the fans’ devotion to the singer who skyrocketed into fame as a member of One Direction in 2010. The fact that someone already knew the “ass or face” conversation would happen and came prepared proves how closely the affectionately called “Harries” follow the singer, creating sweet and funny inside jokes that bridge the gap between celebrity and fan.
Bridging the gap even more was a particularly special moment of the night when Styles spotted another fan, named Brenda, holding up sign that read, “Help me come out! Wave my flag!”
“You want to do this?” Styles confirmed with Brenda, before the fan threw a bisexual pride flag onstage.
“When this flag goes above my head, there’s no going back,” Styles told Brenda before waving the flag in the air while the arena cheered in support. “Rejoice, Brenda! Freedom awaits you! A life of freedom,” Harry declared with his characteristically goofy humor, adding levity to a profound moment in Brenda’s life.
Harry helping a fan come out!💚 #LoveOnTourLA #HarryStyles #HSLOT pic.twitter.com/pgvA78vuUr
— Bárbara | Love On Tour Era🐇 (@barbaracontilde) November 18, 2021
The countless moments of empowerment and connection throughout the Los Angeles show were no surprise, as Styles has always encouraged his supporters to live as authentically and with as much kindness as possible. “If you want to sing, if you want to dance, please feel free to do whatever it is you want to do in this room tonight,” he said to the crowd at one point. “Please feel free to be whoever it is you have always wanted to be.”
The rest of the evening was a vibrant, psychedelic-hued celebration of togetherness, inclusivity and, most importantly, music — complete with a fan-made conga line and lots of deafening screams of excitement. The singer rocked a matching green vest and pant combo as he performed a variety of songs from his two Billboard 200 chart topping albums, Harry Styles and Fine Line (setlist below). He even trickled in a performance of 1D’s breakthrough hit, “What Makes You Beautiful.”
And, yes, after all the “manifesting” on Twitter, TikTok and Instagram, Harry Styles finally listened and performed the fan favorite, unreleased song, “Medicine,” for his OG supporters.
Harry performing Medicine tonight in Los Angeles#HarryStyles #LoveOnTourLA #HarryStyles pic.twitter.com/C04UIhn1tv
— Damaris (@harryslovss) November 18, 2021
Styles also fittingly performed “Treat People With Kindness,” a Sgt. Pepper-esque jubilee promoting, of course, kindness. The phrase has become a motto for fans and the singer himself, especially as the world navigated a tumultuous 2020 following its release.
To close out the evening, Styles left his fans with one last thought, a simple yet crucial message to share with his young, impressionable and deeply devoted fanbase. “If we have each other’s backs, I think we’re going to be alright,” he said.
See the full setlist below, and see tickets to the rest of Styles’ Love on Tour via Ticketmaster here.
Harry Styles Setlist – Los Angeles Forum (Nov. 17)
Golden
Carolina
Adore You
Only Angel
She
Falling
Sunflower, Vol. 6
Woman
Cherry
Lights Up
Canyon Moon
Treat People With Kindness
What Makes You Beautiful
Fine Line
Sign of the Times
Medicine
Watermelon Sugar
Kiwi
Source by www.billboard.com
