Louis Tomlinson – The Fillmore – Minneapolis MN – February 24th 2022

Louis Tomlinson with Sun Room The Fillmore Minneapolis – February 24^th, 2022

Review and photos by Kate Klaus

Fans lined up early in the day, despite the persistent snow, to catch Louis Tomlinson’s sold-out show at the Fillmore in downtown Minneapolis.  The room was packed and bursting with energy and anticipation as masses of fans sporting One Direction shirts excitedly awaited the start of the show.  Opening up the evening was San Diego based surf-rock band Sun Room, who played a fun and light set of upbeat and lively tunes with fun harmonies and a lighthearted banter with the crowd.  Their songs were prefaced with relatable stories about the background of the lyrics, from relationships to crabby neighbors and life lessons.  They did an excellent job or warming up the crowd for the evening.  As the set change happened, the crowd became visibly animated and it was apparent that the nearly 2-year delay of the Louis Tomlinson World Tour had only created even more anticipation and excitement. Sentiments of “I can’t believe this is actually happening” and “I can’t believe this is real and he’s here” were heard throughout the crowd as they waited for him to take the stage.

And then Louis Tomlinson took the stage, to the deafening screams of the crowd.  Despite the intense adoration of his fans, he immediately graced the stage with a quiet simplicity and a very humble and grateful disposition.  He opened his set with “We Made It”, echoing the sentiment of so many who were so appreciative to finally be enjoying his music after such a long postponement.  His vocals were strong and clear, with his backing band providing a perfect support to his soulful voice.  His next song, One Direction hit “Drag Me Down”, had the fans screaming and loudly singing along.  As the night progressed, there were many moments, from heartfelt and touching, as when the crowd joined him in singing “Two of Us”, a tribute to his late mother, with paper hearts held high by the crowd, to playful and fun during various One Direction songs, “Beautiful War”, a Kings of Leon cover, and many exceptional songs off his debut solo album Walls. His music was varied and canvassing many moods, and his strength and talent as a solo vocalist was unmistakable.  This musicality paired with his captivating stage presence clearly established himself as a high caliber solo artist.