The Best Way To Spend Halloween? At MSG With Harry Styles For Harryween!
Samantha Colleran, November 2021
A few days ago I somehow managed to grab a last minute ticket to see Harry for night two of his Halloweekend shows at MSG, perfectly dubbed Harryween. Call me crazy for driving from school back to the city for the second time in two weeks, but I don’t think I could have had a more special night if I tried. I’m going to try my best to sum up this magical night as best as I can, but I know my words won’t do it justice.
Let’s first discuss the lineup for this show. Not only was Harry set as the main act for Harryween, he had guests Orville Peck and Madison Cunningham come along for the adventure. I didn’t know much about Madison Cunningham going into this show, but I was thoroughly impressed by her! She has a funky, interesting sound that I really enjoyed listening to. Her set was only 20 minutes long, which was a little disappointing because I would have really enjoyed hearing more of her music, but with time constraints from the venue it’s understandable.
Of course, you all know how much I adore Orville Peck. Having the opportunity to see him live and be graced with his powerhouse vocals in real life was a dream come true. I was actually just as excited to see him as I was Harry, and he did not disappoint. Orville performed a wonderful mix of songs from his debut album Pony and 2020 EP Show Pony. His set was a half hour of incredible stage presence and perfect vocals; it solidified the fact I need to see him on his own when he comes back to NYC. Hearing “Dead Of Night” live, the song that first got me interested in Orville, was such a beautiful moment and I’m so glad I was able to experience it.
Harry. Harry, Harry, Harry. What else is there to say? I of course wrote about him a couple weeks ago after seeing him for Love On Tour; although most of the setlist was the same, he still puts his all into every single second he’s on stage, and that’s something that will never change. Harry and the Love Band donned clown outfits with fun makeup for their Halloween costumes; the entire band was on point as usual throughout the entire show. Although a few songs were cut from the setlist, Harry made sure to make up for the loss. During his first tour in 2018, Harry sang an unreleased song called “Medicine” every night, and fans have been dying to hear it on this tour. As a Harryween treat, he sang the song! It sounded just as good, if not better, than it did during the last tour. “Medicine” went directly into an incredible cover of Britney Spears’ “Toxic”, and the entire audience lost it for those five minutes. My head is still spinning from the fact I actually got to witness these songs live, and I don’t know if I’ll ever recover from it.
I am so beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to be at this show. I always say it, but Harry is a true performer, and he knows how to put on a show. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully explain what being at this show means to me, it felt like an absolute dream and I’m so thankful for the experience. Being back at the Garden once again reminded me how special concerts are and that they should never be taken for granted. Harry, thank you for making me the happiest girl in the entire world this Halloween.