Niall Horan
Oslo Spektrum Arena in Oslo, Norway
March 14, 2024
Article and photos by Emmi Sollie
Niall Horan is not a new name in the music scene. Originally from Mullingar, Ireland, Horan has sold over 80 million records and toured the globe multiple times as part of the iconic boyband One Direction. He released his full-length solo debut, Flicker, in 2017 which entered the Billboard 200 at number 1. In 2020 he released Heartbreak Weather which also gained massive acclaim and topped the UK's Official Albums chart and Billboard's Top Album Sales tally.
The Irish music sensation is finally on tour again after he had to cancel his last one due to the pandemic. This tour celebrates Horan's third studio album, The Show, released in February of 2023. On March 14th he brought The Show: Live on Tour to Norway and Oslo Spektrum Arena.
Photo by Emmi Sollie
The night kicked off with his hit song Nice To Meet Ya, and the screams from the crowd told me the concert was off to a good start. He then moved on to On A Night Like Tonight off of his latest album, and everyone in the audience had their phone flashlights on. The crowd seemed to consist of 90% female – both teens and young adults. Bringing together newer fans from the younger generation and the older fans who have been here since the 1D days. The audience tonight was very eager and engaged. During Since We're Alone the crowd all simultaneously managed to raise and lower their arms in unison with their phone flashlights on, making the lights blink to the beat of the song – this happened during several songs and looked amazing every time!
This tour isn't called The Show for no reason. The stage setup, the curtain that goes up in the beginning – revealing the stage, the lights, and the entire production give off the feeling that you're in a theatre watching a musical. One notable thing about this tour is that the setlist is rotating, meaning some songs are switched out each night. Oslo got lucky and we got to hear some fan favourites including previously mentioned Since We're Alone, Must Be Love, Paper Houses, and Dear Patience. The latter had a beautiful violin outro, worth mentioning.
In between songs, Horan told the crowd that he's been coming to this country for a long time and he's thankful for all the loyal fans."It's good to be back, I love this city," he stated from the stage. He also mentioned how he really enjoyed playing at the Stavern Festival last summer (our review of Horan's set can be found in issue 9). He had a moment where he would read signs and accept gifts. One sign said "I like my boys how I like my coffee. Hot and Irish" which made everyone laugh. He also received a fun little mushroom hat and a handmade knitted top.
Photo by Emmi Sollie
Paying homage to the One Direction days, a disco ball was lowered from the ceiling which made the whole room sparkle as Horan played Night Changes. Suddenly we were all transported back in time to 2015, and the whole arena was singing along – such a nostalgic moment.
To end the show Horan performed Save My Life and Slow Hands, both of which are highly popular and energetic songs. Fans were singing extremly loud on Slow Hands and gave their absolute all. As Horan and his band took their final bow, the show stayed on theme and had the curtain drop and a light projecter shining on it that read "The End".
It's evident that Horan enjoys what he's doing. He's charismatic and fun on stage, and interacts with his fans. He seems incredibly thankful and openly expresses his appreciation for his fans. The Show: Live on Tour has the perfect mix of upbeat danceable songs and slower ballads. It was truly a magical evening.