Harry Styles Brings a Sense of Togetherness to Amsterdam
After three years of near radio silence, it was finally time for Harry Styles to begin his return to the live music world. With a number of so-called residencies, he is breathing new life into his career in various cities, and it was only fitting that this journey began in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam.
The last time Styles set foot in the Johan Cruijff ArenA was on 6 June 2023. With his new album, “Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally”, he reveals a very different side of himself, making the atmosphere of the Together Together Tour difficult to predict.
As audiences have come to expect from this performer, he began in grand and exuberant fashion. A full band, a prominently mixed bass, and above all an LED screen of truly impressive proportions. Not only the screens on stage, but the stage itself was part of the LED spectacle.
After a long and suspenseful introduction filled with synthetic influences, he appeared wearing a blue jumper and a red jacket and launched into “Are You Listening Yet?”. The vibe was instantly electric. He bounded around his enormous stage like a joyful young deer, and the fans responded with perhaps even more enthusiasm than he did.
This was followed by a series of classic hits: “Golden”, “Adore You” and “Watermelon Sugar”. All three were massive radio successes, yet in the Harry Styles-transformed stadium they were received with slightly less excitement than the new material. Between these songs came the first of many emotional speeches, and it immediately became clear how much this evening meant to him as well. The gratitude and enthusiasm he felt at being able to return were palpable in a way never experienced before.
It took quite some time before another song from the new album appeared. After “Music For A Sushi Restaurant”, the sixth track, “Taste Back”, was finally performed. This song strongly recalls his previous albums and proved to be a genuine singalong.
Although Styles emphasised that togetherness was primarily about dancing to the music, there was also room for more emotional songs. During “Coming Up Roses”, every torchlight in the packed ArenA was switched on, and the audience listened intently.
It was an exceptionally intimate setting for such an immense stage. A string sextet entered, and Harry took his place at the piano. The power in his voice, which had been less noticeable during the opening songs, finally came fully to the fore. Harry continued: ‘The next song is one that I used to play near the end because it felt like the end of an era. Now I’d like to play it at the beginning, because I hope we can use it to spark a new beginning and, after what I’d like to call Act One, move on to Act Two: dancing!’
Act One concluded with “Fine Line”, a song many fans consider one of the most beautiful he has ever written. Unfortunately, this was not fully realised due to the overwhelmingly dominant bass, which vibrated even through the delicate, softer notes and left behind a rather grating tone. Fans seated at the back of the ArenA seized the moment by lying down or sitting on the floor. Tears streamed down faces, and countless hugs were exchanged. After the final ‘we’ll be alright’, the stadium remained silent for a long time.
To fill the pauses, there were magnificent visuals. The ombré effect that had been used extensively in the lead-up to the tour was once again prominently featured. Even the towering columns fitted with lights seemed to dance along to the music. The overall presentation demonstrated that an enormous team had worked on this tour and that every detail had been carefully considered.
Act Two began with the radio hit “American Girls”. Here, Harry used a formant filter to create the robotic effect heard repeatedly throughout the album. The audience’s dance moves erupted as well, while Harry and his band delivered flawlessly from the very first note. This only intensified during “Keep Driving”, “Ready, Steady, Go”—where the formant filter once again came into its own—and “Dance No More”. In between, Harry took time to interact with his fans, although this felt somewhat forced after he announced that he had always done it in the past. He appeared to derive less enjoyment from it, treating it more as an obligation.
During “Ready, Steady, Go” and “Dance No More”, something happened that Styles had rarely done on stage before: he performed with a full choreography and dancers. It was a choreography of remarkable quality. Every step was precise, and it was evident how much effort had gone into the rehearsals. During the next song, the fans adopted the choreography themselves as it was time for “Treat People With Kindness”, accompanied by the “bootscoot”, a dance created by fans. At the back of the venue, even a conga line formed.
After a few more songs from the new album, it was time for a sequence of songs that held special significance for Harry. ‘I hope they do the same for you’, he said before performing “Carla’s Song” and “Aperture”.
The encore began with the emotional “Matilda” and what he jokingly described as a song he had written backstage the previous day: “Sign Of The Times”. The entire arena was momentarily confused, and Harry clearly delighted in his own joke. The encore ultimately closed with “As It Was”, a modern classic surrounded by numerous fan traditions. The lines ‘Harry, you’re no good alone’, ‘The good ones’, and ‘Leave America!’ were shouted at deafening volume. He then ran what seemed like half a marathon across the stage to thank every section of the crowd, and just like that, he was gone. No “Kiwi”, unlike at previous shows.
It was a rather abrupt ending. Apart from the middle section, there was little cohesion in the overall setlist. While it was both familiar and comforting to see the British star back on stage, the setlist itself felt relatively straightforward and left room for much more.
The gratitude, love and sense of togetherness will undoubtedly remain around Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA railway station for the next three weeks—a movement inspired by just one person. That is, in itself, quite extraordinary.
