I’m a shameless Directioner and have been since the day the band walked out as a famous fivesome on the X-Factor stage all those years ago. Back in 2010, to be exact. And I was lucky enough to see all five of them together back in 2014 when I was a mere 14 years old. So, when I discovered that Niall Horan was bringing his “The Show Live on Tour” tour to Glasgow, 10 years after I saw him as part of 1D, I knew it was fate. I just HAD to be there. After all, I am and always will be a Niall girl.
The moment I realised that I was really going to see Niall Horan, was when I stepped into Glasgow Central, awaiting the train to the OVO Hydro. The sea of green, a clear representation of Niall’s beloved Ireland, and the famous “I love Irish boys” t-shirts threw me all the way back to my time in the 1D fandom. Even back then, all the Niall girls treated Ireland as a religion to show their undying love for Niall; sporting Irish flag feather boas, green accessories and any merchandise showing their love for every Irish boy ever. And to see that same dedication 10 years later really curated a nostalgic air for the whole evening. What was even more wholesome was not the women my age repping the Niall Horan-core, but more so the little girls with their fathers, older sisters or mothers. Clearly, the impact of One Direction and Niall runs deep through generations of women and girls.
Unfortunately, I did miss the support act. My dedication to getting myself an official t-shirt with Niall’s face on was real. It’s a ritual I like to do at every concert I attend: I MUST get a t-shirt just to prove that I was there. As if my ten million TikTok videos aren’t proof enough. And you bet I’ll be talking about this concert until I have another one to talk about. However, despite missing the support act, Tommy Lefroy, hearing them from the merchandise queue was enough to understand what they were about. They are two best friends and dedicated one of their songs not only to each other but to all the best friends in attendance.
When Niall called this tour “The Show”, he meant “The Show”. I felt like I was in the West End of London watching a musical. The curtains they used gave the air of a traditional theatre but as soon as they slowly pulled up, Niall was revealed, followed by a crescendo of excited screams. It was fitting that his opening track was ‘Nice to Meet Ya’. It really was nice to meet ya, and I hope he felt the same.
Following more of his upbeat tunes, it was time for the acoustic set. This is where the waterworks came to the surface. Hearing ‘This Town’ in person has been on my bucket list forever, and it definitely did not disappoint as the acoustic set created a certain level of intimacy that can’t be replicated. It felt like part of an old movie, and my tears were a mixture of happiness and the realisation that my childhood was long gone. But what really got me were the opening chords to ‘Night Changes’. I knew there would be a One Direction song in the mix, but nothing could have prepared me for actually hearing it live. I’ve never screamed lyrics so hard in my whole life for a moment that felt like going all full circle.
My only complaint would be… it ended too soon. 10pm came, and while ‘Slow Hands’ had everyone hyped up, and lowkey expecting a certain Lewis Capaldi to make a surprise appearance, Niall told us it was the last song. I thought he was teasing us the way singers do. They pretend to leave, and then they run back out for an encore. But as he left the stage, I realised he really wasn’t coming back. No amount of time would be long enough to satisfy my love for Niall. A Niall girly for life.
Written by Cherry Lamont // photography by Zackery Michael
GEM Magazine 
Niall is so talented, it is so much fun seeing him having fun with his fans. Its just a ashame that there are people out there pretending to be him on Social Media. Im probably someone whos not as young as most and handicapped. I will still listen to his music no one can take that away.
LikeLiked by 1 person