On May 20, global music star Harry Styles performed a “One Night Only in New York” event at the UBS Arena in Elmont, and it was spectacular. This show was in support of his latest studio offering, the critically-acclaimed “Harry’s House.”
Prior to the concert, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “New York, New York” played over the speakers, which instantly got the fans stimulated for Styles, who kept chanting his name “Harry” repeatedly.
Styles kicked off his high-adrenaline set with “Music For A Sushi Restaurant,” which has a retro ’80s vibe to it and he immediately broke into “Late Night Talking,” both of which instantly lured the audience into his eclectic set. Equally noteworthy was the nonchalant “Grapejuice.”
After introducing himself to the audience, and welcoming them to “Harry’s House,” he encouraged them to have “as much fun as they possibly can,” and they obeyed his command.
“As It Was” was certainly the banger for the first half of the show, where everyone was singing and dancing along with him.
The gorgeous and sultry “Daylight” allowed Styles and his band members to showcase his rich, resonant vocals and their soaring harmonies.
“Little Freak” was simply divine, where he proved that his vocals were simply too good to be mortal. This is the tune that is this journalist’s personal favorite track on the “Harry’s House” CD.
He shared the stories behind several of the songs and how they came about (during the COVID-19 pandemic). He went on to proclaim “Satellite” as one of his favorite songs on the new collection.
One could hear a pin drop in the venue during his stirring performance of “Boyfriends,” and he continued with the expressive “Love of My Life.”
Styles revealed that the soulful “Matilda” is a tune about somebody that is rebuilding their life, and he noted that he wrote it for anyone that needed to hear it. “If there is anyone that feels like it applies to you, it does,” he remarked.
He shared that he would perform the album from start to finish as it was “intended to be played,” and rightfully so, but there were many more surprises where that came from.
“Over the last 2.5 years, we all went through something, collectively. Everyone went through something on their own; they had their own experience of what happened over the past couple of years,” Styles acknowledged, prior to expressing that this album saved him.
The Long Island audience could not get enough of Harry Styles, and he returned for an encore that included such fan-favorite tunes as “Adore You,” the ubiquitous “Watermelon Sugar,” and his signature hit “Sign of the Times,” which became the national anthem of the night.
Equally stunning was his enthralling, upbeat solo rendition of One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful.” “Make some noise for my wonderful band,” he exclaimed.
He concluded with “Kiwi,” as well as a reprise of his smash single “As It Was” which the crowd could simply not get enough of.
“Harry’s House” is definitely worth checking out, and it is available on digital service providers by clicking here.
Styles maintained great control over his crisp, rumbling voice the entire night, and vocally, the listener can recall Cat Stevens/Yusuf Island meets Vince Gill, coupled with the stage presence and sexiness of Prince.
The Verdict
Overall, Harry Styles was superb at the UBS Arena on Long Island for his “One Night Only in New York” show. It was an intimate, engaging, and highly entertaining production that was able to put smiles on the people’s faces. Every song in his setlist had its own identity, and there was a song that fit every mood of every member in the crowd.
A native of Redditch, England, Styles made everyone feel loved, cherished, accepted, and welcomed into “Harry’s House,” which provided a safe haven for the evening, and allowed everybody to forget their worries for nearly two hours.
Styles was able to move his audience on both an emotional as well as a spiritual level, and it is highly recommended that one sees Styles live when he comes to town. His live show garnered an A+ rating.
To learn more about Harry Styles and his new music, check out his official website.
