By: Allison Hurley

On Tuesday, October 12 many Apex students and staff enjoyed a night of dancing, singing, and laughter at Harry Styles’ Love on Tour concert. Styles’ second solo album Fine Line was released on December 13, 2019. Almost two years later, he finally performed the album live at Raleigh’s PNC Arena. 

Fans have patiently waited for the show as it was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This provided plenty of extra time for fans to plan every last detail of this night they were bound to remember, from making signs, to buying a new outfit; fans plans were perfected for the long awaited concert. Additionally, many precautions were taken by Styles’ team including masks and proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test. 

Apex Social Studies teacher Ms. Pettifer added the Love On Tour show to her long list of events where she has seen Harry Styles live. Previously, she attended three One Direction concerts, before they split and two Harry Styles concerts on his tour in 2018. Ms. Pettifer enjoys the way Styles interacts with the crowd and his humble attitude. She said, “at the end of the day I’m just another fan, but he genuinely cares.” Although Ms. Pettifer was slightly disappointed her favorite song “Sweet Creature” was not performed, she has heard it live before and hopes to hear it at another concert someday; she says the live version is always better than the studio recording. 

Annabel Sampson had a strong desire to attend the Harry Styles concert, so much so that she spent the money she saved from her summer job to purchase tickets. She loved hearing her favorite upbeat song “Canyon Moon” and singing along with the crowd. Mollie Green agreed saying, “it was so different…everyone was singing at the same time and dancing, it made the song so much better.” Mollie’s parents surprised her with tickets to the concert, as they knew Styles was her favorite singer. She cried during Styles’ performance of her favorite song “Fine Line.” She described the song’s lyrics as “very reaffirming.” Mollie hopes to attend another Harry Styles concert in the future because she enjoyed her first one so much. 

Although Harry Styles will most likely never come to know all of his wonderful fans at Apex, nonetheless he has impacted them greatly, and will continue to do so. His fans will always remember the joy, kindness, and most of all love he brought to Raleigh on Tuesday, October, 12.