Verdict: Four stars.
WHEN One Direction announced their inevitable break in 2016, it was no surprise when each member of the group decided to show their own artistry by launching their solo careers.
While music fans expected a similar sound to the manufactured pop the band was renown for, Niall Horan went in his own direction and put on a show at the SEC’s Clyde Armadillo on Sunday night which proved he is a true artist whose early catalogue shows promise of longevity.
Opening up his set with On The Loose and The Tide, the 24-year-old produced pitch perfect vocals on the guitar pop tracks.
In his charming Irish accent, he then screamed, “Glasgow, how you doing?”
Although Niall’s sound is mature by pop standards, his audience is that same One Direction crowd who offered synchronised screams throughout the show.
And while Niall appreciated the adoration, he should his humble side when he praised the voice of his support act Bathgate singer Lewis Capaldi.
Putting on a Scottish accent, he beamed: “He’s no too bad like.”
A show highlight was a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing in the Dark which was perhaps an indication of the sort of road Niall wants to take his music, and although his audience might not have the maturity to appreciate that sound yet, the singer’s vocals persuaded them otherwise.
In what seems to be a rarity these days, Niall urged his audience to put away their phones and ‘live in the moment,’ as he sang the beautiful ballad Flicker, which is the title track of his debut album.
A tribute to the success which brought Niall to the solo stage came in the form of One Direction track Drag Me Down which went down a treat with the screaming crowd.
But it was the show closer of Slow Hands which showed Niall means business when it comes to his solo career.
And if he keeps producing pop songs like that single, he will be in it for the long run.
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