Eager fans started lining up at Kemba Live! before 9:30 AM for Louis Tomlinson’s Faith In The Future Tour in Columbus, Ohio.
The line of fans ended up stretching hundreds of people deep and looping around the corner of the street. Shortly after the doors opened, the pit area was completely packed with fans.
Opening act, Snarls, kicked the night off and was met with a warm welcome from fans. The Columbus-based indie rock band exudes cool kid energy and fans were definitely vibing. The band consists of Chlo White, Riley Hall, Mick Martinez, and Max Martinez. Snarls hit songs include “Walk in the Woods,” “Marbles,” and “Fixed Gear.”
Taking the stage next was the indie rock band The Academic from Ireland. Fans enthusiastically greeted The Academic to the stage with their handcrafted “I love The Academic” signs. The band is comprised of brothers Matthew and Stephen Murtagh, Craig Fitzgerald, and Dean Gavin. The Academic played several of their most popular songs including “Different,”“Mixtape 2003,” “Bear Claws,” and “Don’t Take It Personally.” The Academic did a phenomenal job of having fans dancing on their feet and ready for the highly anticipated Tomlinson to take the stage next. Louis Tomlinson started his monumental career in 2010 in what would be one of the biggest boy bands in the world, One Direction. Needless to say, Kemba Live! was packed full of original Louis Tomlinson fans who have supported him since the beginning. His fans were sporting current merchandise but were also sure to bring out their original One Direction merchandise for the occasion. They had One Direction merchandise ranging from blankets to One Direction-branded Converse.Tomlinson started his set off on a huge dynamic note with his song, “The Greatest” which was accompanied by pyrotechnics. He had an impressive stage setup that included multiple large-screen displays that showed live video coverage of the stage. It was apparent that fans share a special connection with Tomlinson and relate to his music on a personal level. “The Greatest” is the opening track to Tomlinson’s second album, Faith In The Future, and sets the tone for the remainder of the album. This album exudes an element of confidence that stems from being able to make the kind of music an artist wishes to make. It largely departs from Tomlinson’s previous pop music and, instead, leans toward indie rock. The setlist for this tour felt largely authentic to Tomlinson.
Of course, Tomlinson paid tribute to his former band by playing popular One Direction songs “Night Changes” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.” Fans were incredibly supportive, singing along through the entirety of the concert but it’s hard to ignore the energy fans gave to the throwback One Direction songs. Tomlinson also played his hits “Bigger Than Me,” “Written All Over Your Face,” and “Out of My System,” and wrapped up the encore with “Silver Tongues.” Tomlinson did an impressive job interacting with fans throughout the duration of the concert. At multiple points of the show, he would hop off of the stage and join fans at the barricade.
The Faith In The Future North American tour continues on throughout June and July and wraps on July 29 in New York. Some dates are already sold-out so be sure to get your tickets soon to secure your place.
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