From a world-famous boy band to a successful solo career, singer and songwriter Louis Tomlinson took to the stage at Northerly Island on Thursday night promoting his newest album, Faith in the Future. Rising to fame in 2010 as a member of One Direction, the British artist proved he hasn’t lost his touch for performing to a crowd of adoring fans.
In typical Chicago fashion, the “June” weather was a balmy 50F, and with the outdoor venue being right on Lake Michigan called for some gnarly winds—so much so that crews had to delay the show to dismantle hanging lights prior to the performance.
Met with deafening screams, Tomlinson opened with hit “The Greatest,” raising his eyebrows at the crowd as he sang the lyrics “we’ll never be left cold again.” “It is fucking freezing, freezing! Let me start off by saying a massive, massive thank you to all of you incredible people here. This is by far my favorite part of the job, I would not be able to do these shows without all of you…”
Zipping up his jacket as he powered on through the show, Tomlinson got hearts racing with the throwback One Direction hit “Night Changes.” Swinging back and forth in an effortless unison, the crowd instantly warmed up as the nostalgic melody rang out across the amphitheater.
Striking up a conversation with fans, I soon realized that despite his claim to fame with One Direction, he has truly made a name for himself in the music industry. From the group traveling across the country to see the singer perform, to those eagerly exchanging handmade friendship bracelets with Tomlinson’s lyrics proudly displayed, there was a unique sense of community felt from “Directioners” and beyond.
Despite reaching perhaps the highest level of stardom at just 18 years old, the now 31 year old artist maintains an admirable level of humility – casually wearing his Lacoste joggers as he strolled back and forth on the stage, nonchalantly flipping off the audience, (a sign of endearment I learned from his fans) and eventually stepping off stage to greet the barricade mid-performance (much to the dismay of the scrambling security guards).
A little bit pop, a little bit indie, and a whole lot of entertainment, the Faith in the Future tour will continue around the US through July. While less than desirable temps won’t always be the case, you can guarantee a parade of devoted fans will always be in attendance.
