Two Nights, One Post: MSG Is Harry’s House For 15 Nights And I Got Invited Twice
Samantha Colleran, September 2022
Finding affordable tickets to see Harry is no easy feat, but when the tickets for Harry’s fifteen show residency at MSG went on sale, my friend Gracie managed to get tickets for my friends and I for September 2. What I didn’t expect to happen was to find a ticket on September 3 for another show. This past weekend was a whirlwind of happiness that I will try my best to sum up.
To start, I of course need to give some love to Blood Orange. Blood Orange is Dev Hynes, an English singer-songwriter-producer mega talent who has worked with countless legendary acts in music (Florence + The Machine, Mac Miller, and Blondie, just to name a few). Blood Orange was supported by a few friends who are just as talented. Eva Tolkin, Aaron Maine (PORCHES), Liam Benzvi, Tariq Saleem Al-Sabir, and Ian Isiah took the stage along with Blood Orange and wowed the crowd with smooth instrumentals and gorgeous vocals that floated through the arena. My personal favorite track of both nights was “Best To You”, a duet between Blood Orange and Eva. I listened to the Blood Orange set prior to the show to get a feel for the music, but hearing this song live was nothing short of perfection.
I don’t even know where to begin with Harry. I could see 100 shows and still be completely blown away by his charisma and ability to move around the stage effortlessly. Since the residencies are to support Harry’s House, his stellar third album released in May, the majority of the setlist consisted of tracks off of the album. The opener was “Daydreaming”, its infectious chorus had the crowd moving and dancing their hearts out. This is one of my favorites off the album, so getting to see it live both nights felt like a dream. Up next were Fine Line favorites “Golden” and “Adore You”, which still sound just as incredible live as they did the last time I saw him. Something about the live versions of these two songs goes beyond their studio versions; they’re brought to life in a brand new way and it’s impossible to keep your feet from moving.
“Daylight” was just as sweet live, the electric guitar complimented Harry’s softer vocals, and the crowd sang along to the sweet lyrics “You be the spoon/ Dip you in honey so I could be sticking to you”. My absolute favorite song off of Harry’s House quickly followed, and hearing it two nights in a row is something I won’t ever take for granted. The bridge of “Keep Driving” is the part that everyone was the most excited to scream (it’s not often you get to sing a line as wild as “Cocaine, side boob” with a crowd of 20,000), but the second verse truly moved me to tears. The lyrics are so sweet and domestic, the way Harry sings “I will always love you” strikes you in a new way hearing it sung in real time. I could listen to this song forever, and hearing it live completely solidified that fact. Harry kept the emotions rolling with “Matilda”, one of the most powerful songs in his discography and a song he says is “very special”. I was sitting alone for the second night, but being surrounded by thousands of people singing “You can start a family who will always show you love” made me feel at home. “Little Freak” was another intimate moment where Harry’s vocals truly got to shine through.
Things began to pick up with “Satellite”, another favorite of mine off of Harry’s House. Hearing the lyric “I can see you’re lonely down there/ Don’t you know that I am right here” felt like a warm hug. Harry brought out horn players to accompany the band for a few songs, starting with “Cinema”. Kalia, Lorren, and Laura revamped these already incredible tracks and made each song feel like a true performance. “Cinema” is a lot more energetic when performed live, Harry ensures every inch of the stage is touched as he dances around. “Treat People With Kindness” followed, and it’s always one of the best songs of the night. Strangers embracing, conga lines in the pit, people waving pride flags and belting out the lyrics. Harry dances harder, sings a little louder, and makes sure every single person in the arena is having a good time.
The set wouldn’t be complete without “What Makes You Beautiful”, the One Direction classic that has remained a staple track on Harry’s setlist. Everyone truly gets into this track, not a single person was sitting during this song. The horn section carried us into “Late Night Talking” with an incredible solo that had fans cheering them on both nights. A sample of the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” led into “Music For A Sushi Restaurant”, Harry basking in the crowd’s chants of “You know I love you, babe”. The Grammy winning number “Watermelon Sugar” is a little overplayed in my opinion, but that didn’t stop me, or anyone else in the crowd, from dancing around and singing every word.
Of course the magic of this show wouldn’t be possible without the incredible Love Band, who Harry always takes time to introduce and thank for their dedication to touring with him. Yaffra on keys, Pauli on percussion, Elin on bass, Mitch on guitar, and Sarah on drums (who got the loudest applause (and barks) both nights I went). Every single member pulls their own weight and brings a special something to the stage, and it’s absolutely beautiful to see them all interact with one another as well as with Harry. Without them, this show wouldn’t have the extra sparkle.
The first portion of the set closed out with “Love Of My Life”, a simple song instrumentally with incredible lyrics. Everyone points at Harry and sings to him, “Baby, you were the love of my life”, and he gets so lost in it. He leaves the stage for a few minutes and comes back to do his debut single “Sign Of The Times”, which will always make my eyes fill with tears. Seeing how far he’s come, the musical risks he decided to take early on pay off as a crowd of thousands sing back the power ballad that launched him into a frenzy of stardom. “Remember everything will be alright” will always be a special lyric to me, and hearing it live two nights in a row is something I won’t ever take for granted.
If you’ve been a fan of Harry since his first tour, you’ll know the importance of “Medicine”. Harry hasn’t sung it often since his first tour; he played it on the second night of Harryween for the first time since 2018 and has played it a few times here and there during this portion of tour, but never in my wildest dreams did I expect him to sing it two nights in a row. The crowd bursted into an absolute frenzy of screams as the lights went red, the floor began to shake the second Mitch started the iconic guitar intro, and it was then and there I felt the pang in my chest I always get when I know a show is almost over, and I couldn’t grapple with the fact I would soon be leaving Harry’s house.
“As It Was”, Harry’s most successful single to date, was the second to last song on the setlist. In that moment, it was just us; the crowd and Harry bouncing off of each other’s energy as we sang about things not being the same as they once were. As the intro of “Kiwi” played out, Harry thanked the crowd for dancing with him and asked if we were ready to send it home (of course, the answer was “NO!”). If you’ve never been to a Harry show, you might not truly grasp just how hard we go for “Kiwi”. Not a single person is sitting, everyone is jumping, security guards are ducking away from the water Harry throws onto the crowd and preparing to be jostled by the bouncing floor. The band lives for this reaction, you can see it in the way they play. Of course Harry relishes in this, the whole arena bouncing and shaking as he sprints around the stage doing high kicks and singing his heart out one final time.
Once the lights come up, MSG is a sight to behold. Feathers from boas everywhere, glitter on the floor, tear stained cheeks and running makeup, the sound of go-go boots echoing through the stairwells as everyone excitedly talks about the night they had. It’s something I live for, a happiness I will constantly chase for the rest of my life.
I never imagined going to two shows back to back; it seemed out of reach because of ticket prices, but I’m so beyond thankful for the experience. To the band and entire stage crew, thank you for putting your all into making sure every single person in MSG gets to experience some of the best live music of all time. To Harry, thank you, thank you, thank you. Seeing you live is something I will never get tired of experiencing, and I can’t wait to do it again soon.
If you’ve been to any of the residencies or have tickets for any shows, let me know in the comments!