British boy band goes in new direction
Boy bands usually consist of choreographed dances and identical costumes, right? One Direction begs to differ. The five teenage British boys drew in 15,000 screaming fans on June 28 in Wantagh, New York, with their unusual style consisting of snapbacks, tattoos, muscle tees, unorganized shenanigans, and dysfunctional wardrobes.
Australian band 5 seconds of Summer opened the show, generating the buzzing atmosphere. Members Ashton Irwin, Calum Hood, Michael Clifton, and Luke Hemmings charmed the audience with their bright smiles and catchy songs as they set the stage for the number one boyband in the world.
The boys were greeted with the shrill shrieks of 15,000 attendees as they entered the stage, with Up All Night from the 2011 album as the opening song. Smoke machines misted the stage,fire illuminating the large electronic screen that displayed quirky animations of the boys performing even in the drizzling rain that put a slight damper on the performance.
“The atmosphere really made the concert above and beyond. And they really interacted with the crowd well, they’re great entertainers. The whole experience was unforgettable, there was never a dull moment,” said Jenn January, 16, from Maryland.
“Sometimes when I sing into the microphone, I turn and just smile a bit because I think, ‘This is my job, this is what I do for a living, and it’s what I’ve always wanted’,” said Payne.
Songs like Up All Night, One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks), Rock Me, and their cover of Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus got the crowd up and moving, shouting the popular lyrics.
However, they did slow it down with performances such as fan favorite Little Things. They sat on the stage while Horan played acoustic guitar for the heart melting song. The entire stadium was lit up by the dim glow of cell phone flashlights, mimicking lighters to give it a ballad feel.
The end of the show was signaled by their performance of the hit single What Makes You Beautiful.
“We owe it to all of you, we wouldn’t be here without you guys. We can’t thank you enough,” said Horan at the close of the show.
Upcoming plans for the boyband include the release of their fragrance Our Moment and the ticket sale for their stadium tour Where We Are 2014 in October. Dates and Venues have yet to be released.