Music review: Harry Styles, Murrayfield, Edinburgh

The summery weather and last-Friday-of-the-month vibe within the stadium made this a show to remember, writes David Pollock

The two-year Love On Tour live odyssey by Harry Styles hasn’t been short of surprising and must-see support acts. Yet we can only imagine the conversations which went on backstage at the Brit Awards or wherever to secure the services of Wet Leg for its latest, er, leg.

Their set was short – just like their one-album-to-date catalogue – and singer Rhian Teasdale looked as surprised as most of the crowd to see her arch, Isle of Wight indie-pop contingent up on the big screen. Yet “viral” means more than “indie” these days, and much of Styles’ audience were informed enough to chant along with Chaise Longue before the main event.

Harry Styles at Murrayfield PIC: Lloyd WakefieldHarry Styles at Murrayfield PIC: Lloyd Wakefield
Harry Styles at Murrayfield PIC: Lloyd Wakefield
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As for Styles himself, he’s no stranger to the big screen, especially those which tracked his every move around the stage and catwalk here, while Pink Panther-style cartoons flashed up and his pink boiler-suited band hammered out an impressive live sound. On one level a conventional heartthrob and big-stage pop performer, what he brings to the genre is improved immeasurably by the simple addition of blazingly memorable choruses.

The set skipped through the funk groove of Daydream and Golden, through the customary ballad segment, and into a mighty disco-pop crescendo of Music For A Sushi Restaurant, Treat People With Kindness and his alma mater One Direction’s What Makes You Beautiful, before winding down towards the anthemic encore of Sign Of The Times.

The summery weather and the last-Friday-of-the-month vibe within the stadium added to the good feeling and turned the energy up a degree, while Styles seemed pleased no-one fell off the balcony this time, as apparently happened at his Ibrox show last year.

“This tour’s been the best two years of my life,” he enthused, before the acoustic, affecting Matilda. For two hours, we really felt part of the journey.