Saturday, October 26, 2013

Live Entertainment | One Direction | Take Me Home Tour (Sydney)


Firstly, I just want to say, I have never been in a room full of people willing to be up on their feet for every song, let alone cheer at the top of their lungs after every song.

I count myself included in that description as I can finally say that I have seen One Direction LIVE. It was in fact my highlight – concert / gig wise – for 2013 due to a few things:

1) The level of energy in the room,
2) The great choice in an opening act and
3) I was not told to sit down!

The last one is really important to me, considering I’ve been told to sit in my seat countless times during these arena concerts. I’ve just always believed that you should be up on your feet when the music is pumping! Sure if it’s a slow song I’ll forgive you for asking me to sit down, but don’t get mad if I stand back up for a song that demands me to be up on my feet! *Rant Over*.

Enough of that! Let’s get to ONE DIRECTION!!!


5 Seconds of Summer opened for 1D, and they were incredible.

I’ve found that when people are in their hometown they seem to own the stage a lot more, because it’s home! Ironically, seeing as this is 1D’s Take Me Home tour, that’s exactly what 5SOS did! And without a doubt they warmed up an already excited crowd to a boiling level! So big, big KUDOS to 5SOS for kicking the night off with a bang!

I also have to mention the amazing DJ that was playing all those tracks that warmed up our vocal chords, starting with BeyoncĂ© all the way through to the Grease soundtrack. I’m mentioning the DJ because he got us all nice and ready for One Direction with a little bit of the Macarena just as the lights began to dim. KUDOS to you too mate! Loved it!!!


TAKE ME HOME TOUR

As Up All Night opened the set, the directioners all around the arena were still taking in the fact that they were watching One Direction as they sang and danced along to a beloved track from 1D’s first album. But just as soon as they opened they were straight into another one of my favourites, I Would. Testing out my moves, I was spelling out, “L.O.V.E” as the boys were singing the chorus – just like Hi5 taught me! Heart Attack followed straight on cue, as some fans seemed to be breathless after the two opening songs. Regardless, everyone was still up on their feet cheering, singing and dancing along.

As the song finished, Louis and Niall took over and greeted the crowd gingerly. Liam, Zayn and Harry followed in suit as they all took turns thanking us for being there before they slowed things down just a smidge with another track from their first album – and my favourite track!

As More Than This resounded throughout the arena, glow sticks, camera flashes and light sticks flooded the darkness swaying from left to right. But as the tempo kicked back up with Loved You First, and the directioners were right back up singing at the top of their lungs – or maybe that was just me…

Either way, by the time One Thing was introduced, the boys had already told the crowd that we were, “The LOUDEST crowd they’d had across the world.” I’m going to give the boys the benefit of the doubt considering my ears were still ringing when I woke up the following morning. I can only imagine what the boys feel like every night since March!

C’mon, C’mon set another motion of high-energy movement as everyone in the room obeyed the lyrics to dance about – and in truth, “the music was so loud”, so much so, you couldn’t help but let it lead your movements.


For a change in scene, Change My Mind saw the boys soaring above the crowd to make their way to the floor stage located towards the back of the arena. Giving those of us in that section a little glimpse of them. With a bit of light banter and a mini-Q&A conducted by Niall, their Comic Relief charity single, One Way or Another / Teenage Kicks, kicked off the next leg of the set.


Resting their vocals for a moment, the boys answered some twitter questions with a piggyback race and a demonstration of the worm by Liam. They also gave us a little insight into their favourite foods by giving us a list of three things that they would eat for the rest of their lives. I just remember a lot of chicken – haha!

Getting back to the music side of things, the lads strapped themselves back unto their elevated stage and glided the airwaves with my favourite track on this album, Last First Kiss. And as promised, by the time the boys were singing Moments – still in the air, they let the crowd’s voices take them back to the main stage as the finishing the song for them.

Live While We're Young signified a change in pace as time was ticking away – although mind you, I’m pretty sure everyone in the room were pretty happy to stay until the following day and start everything “all over again”!

The final few moments of the night happened in couplets, Summer Love took the tempo back down just enough for fans to settle themselves in their seats to sway and wave anything that was glowing from the left to the right.  And as Over Again filled the arena, fans were ready to get up on their feet again (yes, I was singing hard-out by the time the second verse kicked in; and yes, I did keep up with Harry and Louis!)

As the band turned up the notch on the tempo and the volume, their Wheatus cover, Teenage Dirtbag, rang out across the arena with the crowd’s contribution rising and falling depending on their age. Being a 90s kid, this song was second nature to my lips, thus needing no prompter to lead me as to when the chorus was coming or when the key change was headed in my direction. And by the time, Rock Me demanded the crowd’s participation, I was a little disappointed that the boys didn’t know the basic ‘stomp-stomp-clap’ that their take on Queen’s classic, We Will Rock You, instructs.

Fortunately She's Not Afraid swooped in to get the crowd back in gear, just in time to warm us back up for Kiss You!

Leaving the crowd on a high, 1D made no effort and hiding that the night was not finished just yet. Their silhouettes were still visible as they made their way to their final positions for the night. When everything was ready and a small snippet from This Is Us had fluttered the audience’s hearts, Best Song Ever kicked in right on cue.

But before leaving the stage for good, Niall takes the lead once again to thank us for spending the evening with them and being part of the “best fans in the world”. Liam, Harry, Zayn and Louis followed in suit from their seated positions, happy to let Niall take the reigns as the night drew to a close.

Closing with their very first single, What Makes You Beautiful, gave the crowd one last hurrah as everyone was up on feet, singing and dancing to the song that launched One Direction to the top all around the globe.


Overall it was a great night. Like I said before, it was a great crowd to be a part of. The setlist was well selected and the blueprint for the entire show was well maaped-out. Although the set was amazing and the graphics were appropriate in summarising the last three years of their life, I wish there was a bit more on stage for the boys to use in order to really make the most of the space they had. I was also a little disappointed in their use of the floor stage. Although it was meant to be a ‘casual space’ it was a little too casual and I felt like they were closing themselves off from their fans instead of fully interacting with them. But in saying all of that, it’s just the drama teacher / director side of me talking. I had a blast and have no regrets in going to another One Direction concert in the future.

sL Star Rating: ★★★★★

For photos click here.

Next of sL: One Direction - Story of My Life


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