Harry Styles review: Charisma and risk-taking define Together, Together tour

Midway through the opening night of his world tour, Harry Styles asked the audience at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruijff Arena where they had come from. Based on their responses, local residents were vastly outnumbered by those who traveled far: further inquiry revealed attendees from Switzerland and Ireland.

That illustrates what a massive flex the Together, Together tour represents. While there are practical reasons for lengthy residencies instead of crisscrossing the globe — Styles’ 10 Amsterdam shows are his only mainland European dates, followed by similarly extended stops in London, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, New York, Melbourne and Sydney — the approach also underscores his colossal solo success. Twelve consecutive nights at Wembley is an accomplishment even Taylor Swift’s Eras tour could not match. Styles has achieved one of pop’s toughest feats: transitioning from manufactured boyband member to respected solo artist with extraordinary aplomb, comparable only to George Michael’s post-Wham! career.

But Styles’ dominance appeared shakier after releasing his fourth album, the poorly titled ‘Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.’ Critics gave it muted reviews, unimpressed by understated music and opaque lyrics that often sounded meaningless — though public indifference to critical opinion means Ed Sheeran would still be busking if that mattered. More worrying was the similarly muted commercial response. In the UK, singles ‘Aperture’ and ‘American Girls’ spent just one week each at No.1; by contrast, ‘As It Was’ from predecessor ‘Harry’s House’ held the top spot for 10 weeks.

Yet you could not tell that from the reception in Amsterdam, where a partisan crowd reacted so fervently that Styles merely sipping water between songs drew applause that would seem excessive if he had performed a miracle with loaves and fishes. Fans greeted tracks from ‘Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.’ with the same enthusiasm they showed for his biggest hits.

In a live setting, their point becomes clear. Songs that sounded flat on record felt noticeably punchier on stage. Some had been obviously enhanced — ‘Taste Back’ now incorporates a sample from Underworld’s ‘Born Slippy’ — while others simply gained energy from their live incarnation. ‘Ready, Steady Go!’ seemed more vital when performed in the middle of the audience on three linked catwalks with LED lights, surrounded by dancers moving in ways that looked abandonned even if tightly choreographed.

That hints at the strange tension in Styles’ solo career: a blend of straightforward pop moves — the irresistible brass on ‘Music For A Sushi Restaurant,’ hook-heavy ‘Watermelon Sugar’ and ‘As It Was’ — alongside lunges toward leftfield material. At one point, the audience saw a man who first charmed Simon Cowell on ‘The X Factor’ bellowing into a distorted microphone like late Fall frontman Mark E Smith. The live version of 2019’s ‘Treat People With Kindness’ owes much to Talking Heads’ ‘This Must Be The Place.’

It does not always succeed — even the crowd’s loud reaction could not prevent ‘Season 2 Weight Loss’ from sounding nondescript and meandering — but it frequently does, bolstered by Styles’ genuine charisma. In an era where pop stars are discouraged from taking risks, there is something appealing about one willing to push the envelope at least a little.

Harry Styles’ Together, Together tour runs through Dec. 13.