LOUIS TOMLINSON / GIANT ROOKS 7.25.2023

Jul 25

Photos and Words By JULIA FINOCCHIARO

Louis Tomlinson brought his “Faith in the Future” tour to Boston for two lively nights last week at MGM Music Hall. The tour is in support of his second full-length album by the same name which was released back in 2022. Louis certainly knows how to command the room, and thousands of his dedicated fans showed up to give it their all singing along for the 1.5 hour show.

Before Tomlinson took the stage, German indie-rock band Giant Rooks took the stage for their opening performance. I can say without a doubt that they were one of my favorite opening acts I’ve seen in a long time; their energy, choreography, and sound were so unique, and the group had fantastic chemistry with one another. Although their set was only 10 songs long, they had the energy of a headliner, and certainly won over some of the crowd to attend their headline show the following day at a smaller venue in Boston.

At around 9pm it was time for Louis to take the stage. After waiting for hours outside, fans were ready when Louis opened with “The Greatest” off of his new album and continued right into “Kill My Mind” and “Bigger Than Me.” He kept up the energy for the entirety of the performance, toning it down only for a few slower songs scattered throughout the set.

The set included a mix of songs from “Faith in the Future” and Tomlinson’s first album, “Walls,” released back in 2020. Highlights included “Face the Music,” “High in California,” “Copy of a Copy of a Copy,” and a cover of The Arctic Monkeys’ “505” towards the end of the main set. For a few songs, fans held up their flashlights in unison, illuminating the 4000+ fans in attendance.

While Louis Tomlinson’s own music isn’t too similar to One Direction’s, it would be hard for him not to play a few songs as a nod to his past - two, exactly. About halfway through the set Tomlinson gave his rendition of One Direction’s “Night Changes,” and in the encore he performed “Where Do Broken Hearts Go,” much to the excitement of fans who have followed Louis since his One Direction days.

The “Faith in the Future” tour continues internationally starting in Germany on August 29th and runs until mid-November before going to Australia in 2024. If you have a chance to attend, I’d highly recommend it!

GIANT ROOKS