Harry Styles has opened a 30-night residency at Madison Square Garden, the longest stop on his Together, Together tour and the only US dates he is playing this year.
The run began on August 26 and continues to a Harryween show on October 31, after which the tour moves to Melbourne and Sydney in December. It follows stops in Amsterdam, London, where he played 12 nights at Wembley Stadium, Sao Paulo and Mexico City. Rather than touring dozens of cities once each, Styles built the whole trek around multiple-night runs in seven of them.
Opening night came with a reworked setlist. He started with "Dance No More" for the first time, having previously opened these shows with a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water", and gave tour debuts to "Carolina", "Cinema", "Satellite" and "Kiwi". Across 21 songs he played 11 of the 12 tracks from Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, and closed with "Sign of the Times", featuring a string section, and "Aperture".
He also marked Dolly Parton's death the day before. Late in the show he thanked the musicians who inspire him, named Parton among them, and had her 1974 recording of "I Will Always Love You" played over the arena speakers.
The residency format has been argued over since it was announced. Some fans have said online that concentrating the dates pushes the cost onto them in travel and lodging; others have pointed out that it is less punishing for the band and crew. Either way, the New York dates sold out quickly.
NPR spoke to people queueing outside the venue during opening week and found audiences that had travelled from Delaware, Utah, Colorado, California and Toronto. One fan said her resale tickets had cost about $1,200 each; another described the night simply as too much money. Outside the arena the crowd arrived in sequins, business casual and red running shorts, each a reference to something in his current run.
Parton, who died at 80 on August 25, was honoured from stages all week. The pop and rock residency is listed on the tour guide.
The facts
- The 30-night residency began at Madison Square Garden on August 26
- It runs to a Harryween show on October 31
- Styles opened with Dance No More for the first time
- Carolina, Cinema, Satellite and Kiwi got tour debuts
- He played 11 of the 12 tracks from Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally
- Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You played over the PA as a tribute
- One fan told NPR resale tickets cost about $1,200 each
- The New York run is his only US date of the year
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