The Spinoff had several roving reporters at the Harry Styles concert in Auckland. These are their 10 biggest takeaways.
1. He did the bloody census after all
Stats NZ must be stoked with the coverage they got as a direct result of the Harry Styles concert coinciding with the 2023 census night. Early on in the show, he quickly got onto the topic that everyone was waiting for – “the census thing”. “I’ve been told that if anyone hasn’t done it, then we’re gonna have to stop the show, fill out the paperwork, and then we’ll be able to continue.” He then confirmed-ish that he had already done his: “I’ve done it… I think” he grinned. “No, I have done it.” Star-power confirmed, 2028 is quaking. / Alex Casey
2. The ‘Leave America’ line was so LOUD
Footage taken 4km away from Mt Smart confirmed Auckland was extra successful in our efforts to remind Harry of where he’s from during the single line in the bridge of As It Was. The stadium shook, the echo was violent, Harry blocked his ears as 40,000 people chanted in agreement – leave America, Harry Styles (and please don’t take another five years to come back to New Zealand). / Bianca Cross
3. Feathers, feathers everywhere
Google maps was not required on the trek to Mount Smart – one had to simply follow the trail of multi-coloured feathers straight to the gate. As has been reported both here and at other stops on his tour, Styles brings with him a wave of demand for feather boas which, as an unnamed colleague who also attended the concert pointed out, would be much less popular if they were called feather snakes. I hate (love) to be a bore, but where do all these feathers come from? And what happens to them all after the show? One thing is for sure: I saw a cluster of feathers artfully stuck to a big heart-shaped patch of vomit on the way out and now you have to as well xoxo. / AC
4. He sang about bananas
In what was an entirely improvised moment, Harry extended his encore by one song after spotting a pair of fans in the audience dressed like bananas. After first looking baffled, he soon started singing about the bedazzled fruit duo, quickly spotting more bananas, a watermelon, (I think) some grapes – but no aubergine. It wasn’t the first time he’s sung about fruity fans at a concert before, but this was definitely not a regular – or planned – moment. And it was amazing! / Stewart Sowman-Lund
5. The pre-show playlist was pure pub grub
I’m talking ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’, I’m talking ‘How Bizarre’, I’m talking Bohemian freaking Rhapsody. Were we at a Harry Styles concert or some sort of regional Speight’s Ale House? It didn’t seem to matter, and to see swathes of bedazzled teens croon to Crowded House truly made tears pool in mine own crow’s feet. Also: ‘Unwritten’ by Natasha Bedingfield still rules. / AC
6. Banter levels were critical
I’ve got two words for you: cheeky chappy. Perhaps even more impressive than the music was Styles’ ability to engage with a crowd of 40,000 in a way that felt immediately intimate and somehow packed with personal jokes? Whether it was repeating the purposefully strange welcome message “to Auckland and the surrounding regions” or grilling an audience member about claiming to have sold a cat’s leg to secure a ticket, I left the concert feeling like I had also just seen a pretty decent stand-up show. Now that’s what I call value! / AC
7. High on vibes, low on spectacle
Styles’ energy is electric, as you can tell from what’s been written above. But if I had to pinpoint one issue with the whole performance, it was that more could have been made of the stadium space. Where were the fireworks, or the lightshow, or inflatable balls, or… anything! That being said, I’m glad there was no confetti because there was already way too much mess caused by all the bloody feather boas (which I, too, accept partial responsibility for). / SSL
8. He copied Ruby Tui
In leading the crowd several times with a rousing rendition of ‘Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi’, but was by no means prepared for 40,000 people to sing the ENTIRE song back to him. “I didn’t realise it was that long” he said at one point, visibly impressed. / AC
9. He sang a rare unreleased song
Harry sang ‘Medicine’ in little ol’ Auckland, NZ? We are so blessed. Arguably his best song ever written is also completely unreleased, apparently it isn’t ‘sonically where he’s at right now’. But he’ll bring it out unprompted at the occasional live show as a rare surprise for the setlist. ‘Medicine’ is simply just vibes all round and was the perfect encore moment. Plus the reactions from the harries were nothing short of aneurysm level intense. Incredible. / BC
10. New Zealand has never been more bedazzled
As another attendee put it, the whole night was a feast for the eyes. Everywhere you looked there were rhinestone cowboy hats, sequin jumpsuits, neon lights stitched into jackets, mesh panels, fairy wings, face gems and heart-shaped sunglasses. How did 40,000 people show up wearing the exact same colour palette? And why don’t we all wear this much colour all time? And why was someone dressed as a prawn? These are the things we will be pondering until his return to our shores. / AC