By Gihan Rachid:
The screams of 20,000 Directioners fill every crevice of the audience. The highly anticipated night started off with a special opening act, 5 Seconds of Summer composed of four Australian band mates. They were far from disappointing. With their up and coming popularity rising, the screeches just for the opening act could possibly break a million glasses.
After a 20 minute intermission, suddenly the lights shut off. A video projects onto the big screens onstage. Deafening shrieks fills the Staples Center as the clip shows all five members of One Direction; Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson, at a party greeting and showing the audience around their house.
The video ends as all the boys jump into a pool, simultaneously, the curtains onstage shoot down. Blinding lights suddenly burst on the main stage as the British boy band pops out of the set, designed with the Big Ben and the London Eye. The boys open with a song from their previous album “Up All Night,” a fan favorite.
“All we need you to do tonight is continue to be the best fans in the world,” One Direction member Malik said, kicking off the summer night.
Throughout the entire concert, each member of the British boy band took the time in between songs to thank and praise the fans that, “Have made all this happen.” One Direction member Horan couldn’t stop talking about how his biggest dream was to perform at Staples Center and how they’re “Lucky enough to play four shows” at the infamous landmark.
Recently the boys released a new summer anthem on July 22 called “Best Song Ever.” The song talks about dancing with a girl to the best song ever and later on forgetting how the song went, but remembering they had the time of their life. The song was such a big hit they had to add it in their set-list midway through their sold-out 122-day Take Me Home tour.
With the four-hour show winding down, Horan virtuously shouts, “Los Angeles! Are you ready!” The famous and recognizable cowbell rings. It’s time for the last song of the euphoric night. The song that started it all for the band, “What Makes You Beautiful.”
The crowd suddenly joins in together, singing along to the words of the chart topping hit while fangirls and boys everywhere shed tears from their eyes. The show finally ends with all the boys jumping around the stage, blowing kisses to all their beloved fans.
The night was filled with the light-heartedness of five boys who came from nothing, to becoming the biggest boy band of the century. The boys will be back in 2014 on their next worldwide stadium tour named “Where We Are” next year, guaranteed to liven up your night.
Although, if you aren’t able to see the boys in concert, you’re in luck. Their new documentary “This Is Us” is released on Aug. 30, giving an depth footage of the band’s concert and backstage access. The movie, by documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, also depicts intimate scenes of their personal life when they’re not busy being a part of a famous boy band.
