“Welcome to Madison Square Garden! I’d like to thank Harry Styles for taking the night off,” Billy Joel joked to the roaring crowd. Joel took the stage on one of the few nights Madison Square Garden – temporarily “Harry’s House” – was not occupied by its artist in residence, Harry Styles. Styles was in the midst of fifteen show residency before heading to Austin and Chicago and rounding out the North American leg of the tour with fifteen shows at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. 

I had the opportunity to experience Harry’s House first hand and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. My first inkling that this was going to be something special actually began the night before when I arrived in New York City. As I left Moynihan Station (conveniently next door to Harry’s House), I observed a line of fans with chairs, blankets, and a blow up pool (of course). The diehard fans were camping for the pit, and the show was not for another 24 hours. These Styles fans were committed. Fast forward to the morning of the show. A new line of fans snaked around the block waiting to get early access to Harry’s merch. Despite the heat, many fans were channeling a fan-favorite lyric – “there’s a piece of you in how I dress.”  They were dressed for the show, wearing outfits inspired by Styles, including bright colors, glitter, and of course, feather boas. In the blocks surrounding MSG, stray feathers in every color imaginable floated through the air. The feeling I got when walking into MSG was incredible. The energy was high and the excitement and anticipation of the crowd was palpable. Among thousands of strangers, there was a sense of community. People were taking pictures left and right and complimenting one another’s creative outfits, all the while anticipating the show. Blood Orange was the opener. The audience energy remained high, with Styles fans encouraging the musician. As the opener left the stage, the lights came on and One Direction’s Best Song Ever started playing. The crowd erupted in cheers and sang along, embracing the closest experience the fans will have to their childhood dream of seeing One Direction in concert. 

Styles’ pre-show playlist is carefully curated and knowledgeable fans have learned the telltale signs the show is about to begin. The second to last song before Styles takes the stage is always Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody and this night was no exception. When the fans heard the first few notes, they knew it was almost time for them to enter Harry’s House. As Styles took to the stage, the crowd went wild with fans singing, dancing, and even crying. Styles set the tone for the evening,  challenging fans to have as much fun as they possibly could.  

The set list itself reflected a whirlwind of emotions, beginning with the upbeat Daydreaming and Golden and transitioning to the heavy Matilda, which left the audience in tears. After Love of My Life, Styles left the stage for a water break. Fans began to chant “Medicine,” referring to an unreleased song by Styles. The chants continued as Styles returned to the stage to sing Sign of the Times, one of the first hits of Style’s career. As the song drew to the end, fans turned their attention towards Mitch Roweland, one of Harry’s band members. In-the-know fans might have observed that Mitch switched his guitar after Sign of the Times, an early clue that Styles might sing Medicine. Sarah Jones, Harry’s drummer, confirmed what the fans had hoped for when she began to play the very recognizable first drum beats of Medicine. The crowd erupted with cheers as fans jumped up to sing along to this unreleased fan favorite. The energy in the room was unmatched for the next ten minutes as Harry finished Medicine and played the final song, Kiwi. Through this set list, in a room that can hold nearly 30,000 people, Styles managed to connect with each individual. As Harry ran off stage he high-fived the fans and the cheers continued long after he had left the stage. 

So what makes Harry’s House so special? I think that Harry said it best. “I ask one simple thing. And that is to have as much fun as you possibly can. If you want to sing, if you want to dance, please feel free to do whatever it is you want to do in this room tonight. Please feel free to be whoever it is you’ve always wanted to be in this room tonight. I challenge you to have as much fun as I’m gonna have.” In Harry’s House, guests are welcome to be whoever they want to be and to embrace the version of themselves that enjoys the full range of Styles’ music. For many, that meant being immersed in glitter, feathers, and sequins. But beyond the glitz that Harry’s House has become known for, at its core Harry’s House is built on Styles’ music. As Harry would say, my favorite thing about the concert was that it felt like a concert.