Harry Styles kicked off his Together, Together tour at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, where he will perform 10 shows before moving on to other lengthy residencies worldwide. The former One Direction star's tour includes 12 consecutive nights at Wembley, a feat not even Taylor Swift's Eras tour achieved.
Styles' dominance has been questioned following the release of his fourth album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, which received muted reviews and a weaker commercial response compared to its predecessor Harry's House. However, the Amsterdam crowd greeted songs from the new album with fervour equal to that for his biggest hits.
In a live setting, tracks from the new album sound punchier, with some reworked, such as Taste Back featuring a sample from Underworld's Born Slippy. Styles performed among the audience on catwalks, surrounded by dancers, showcasing his charismatic stage presence.
The tour highlights a tension in Styles' career between straightforward pop moves and more leftfield experiments, including a moment where he bellowed into a distorted microphone reminiscent of Mark E Smith. While some songs like Season 2 Weight Loss fell flat, the overall performance was bolstered by Styles' genuine charisma and willingness to take risks.
