Louis Tomlinson is an English singer and songwriter who rose to fame as a member of the phenomenally successful boy band One Direction. Formed on the UK version of The X Factor in 2010, One Direction went on to break numerous records and win countless awards before going on hiatus in 2016. Since then, Tomlinson has pursued a successful solo career, releasing his debut album Walls in 2020.
Tomlinson’s Solo Success
After One Direction went on hiatus, Tomlinson was eager to start his solo career. He released his first solo single, “Just Hold On,” a Steve Aoki collaboration, in December 2016. The dance track was a commercial success, peaking at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2017, Tomlinson released three promotional singles: “Back to You” featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals, “Just Like You,” and “Miss You.”
Tomlinson’s debut solo album, Walls, was released on January 31, 2020. Walls debuted at number 9 on the US Billboard 200 chart with over 40,000 album equivalent units. It also reached number 1 on the UK Albums Chart, making Tomlinson the third member of One Direction to top the UK chart with a solo album. Walls received generally positive reviews, with critics praising Tomlinson’s evolution as an artist. To support the album, Tomlinson embarked on the Louis Tomlinson World Tour in 2020, which included arena shows in Europe, North America, South America, Asia, and Australia.
One Direction’s Stadium Success
While Tomlinson has cultivated a strong solo career, his biggest concerts to date were with One Direction at the height of their popularity. After finishing third on The X Factor in 2010, One Direction quickly amassed a loyal global fanbase of teens and young adults. Their first four albums – Up All Night (2011), Take Me Home (2012), Midnight Memories (2013) and Four (2014) – all topped the US Billboard 200 chart. Powered by hits like “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Story of My Life,” and “Best Song Ever,” One Direction became the first band in US chart history to debut their first four albums at number one.
Riding a wave of “Directioner” fandom, One Direction consistently booked bigger and bigger venues for their tours. Their third tour, 2014’s Where We Are Tour, saw the band performing in stadiums around the world for the first time. The tour kicked off on April 25, 2014 at El Campín Stadium in Bogotá, Colombia in front of 45,000 fans. Over the next four months, One Direction played to over 3.4 million fans at 69 shows across Europe, North America, South America and Asia. The tour grossed over $290 million, making it the highest-grossing tour of 2014 and the 15th highest-grossing tour of all time.
Record-Breaking Show at Soldier Field
One of the clear highlights from the Where We Are Tour was One Direction’s five consecutive sold-out shows at Soldier Field in Chicago. Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, has a standard seating capacity of 61,500. For the One Direction shows, an additional 16,000 seats were added using floor seating, bringing the total capacity for the gigs to 77,500.
One Direction’s opening night on July 13, 2014 marked the first time Soldier Field had ever hosted five consecutive sold-out shows. It also set a new attendance record for the highest-grossing single concert in Soldier Field’s history. Across the five shows, 385,000 fans filled the stadium to capacity.
Reacting to the monumental achievement, One Direction member Niall Horan said: “It’s amazing and incredible for us all to see so many people in the audience each night.” Bandmate Liam Payne added: “The crowds seem to get louder and louder with every show we do. It’s very humbling.”
By the Numbers: One Direction’s 5 Shows at Soldier Field
Show Date | Attendance |
---|---|
July 13, 2014 | 77,500 |
July 14, 2014 | 77,500 |
July 16, 2014 | 77,500 |
July 17, 2014 | 77,500 |
July 18, 2014 | 77,500 |
Total | 385,000 |
The band’s legion of fans, many of whom camped outside Soldier Field overnight to get the best spots at the front of stage, were delighted to set the new record. Emily, 16, who attended the July 14th show said: “Being part of the biggest ever crowd at Soldier Field is so exciting. This is a night I will never forget.”
One Direction’s Record-Breaking Stadium Tour
One Direction continued breaking stadium records worldwide throughout the Where We Are Tour. When tickets went on sale in 2013, they instantly sold out additional dates at iconic stadiums like MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, Rose Bowl Stadium in California and Rogers Centre in Toronto. By flexing their box office dominance, One Direction reportedly grossed over $1 million per show on the Where We Are Tour.
Breaking Records in South America
In South America, newly built stadiums struggled to contain the band’s deafening devotees. At El Campín Stadium in Bogotá, One Direction performed the inaugural event at the venue in front of 45,000 fans. Later, at Estadio Nacional in Lima, they played the largest concert ever held in Peru with a crowd of over 51,000 joyful music lovers.
UK and Ireland Stadium Tour
As expected, One Direction also smashed records in their native UK and Ireland. Their concert at Dublin’s Croke Park on May 24, 2014 drew a crowd of 82,300 – the largest audience ever for a single headlining act at the historic stadium. And at Wembley Stadium in London, One Direction played to over 300,000 ecstatic fans across three sold-out nights.
What Made One Direction’s Stadium Shows Special?
One Direction’s stadium shows on the Where We Are Tour were more than just record-breaking – they were incredible audiovisual spectacles. Each show brought state-of-the-art light displays, pyrotechnics, moving stages and video interludes. While fans came mainly to see their idols perform live, the production value elevated the concert experience into an unforgettable pop music extravaganza.
Expanded Stadium Stage
Stadium concerts can be challenging because of the massive scale of the venue and inflated distance between the band and the furthest seats. Many bands compromise by using minimal staging and effects. For their stadium shows, One Direction and their production team designed an innovative expanded stage that allowed the band to get closer to fans in the stands.
The stage included a two-tiered main platform with moving components and a long catwalk that extended into the middle of the stadium floor. At some venues, the walkway between the main stage and B-stage stretched nearly 400 feet long, enabling 360-degree views for every fan.
Next Level Production
One Direction’s stadium production utilized cutting-edge sound, lights and video to enhance the spectacle. Massive 4K LED video walls created an immersive visual experience with custom animations and footage of the band. From pyrotechnics to lasers to confetti cannons, the special effects tied into the setlist to punctuate key moments in the show. One Direction also took advantage of each stadium’s existing jumbotrons to get giant live close-ups of the members.
Simplified Setlist
Keeping the show moving smoothly was crucial with so many screaming, sign-waving fans in attendance. For their stadium shows, One Direction pared down some of the slow ballads and deep album cuts in favor of a crowd-pumping setlist of their most anthemic hits and upbeat songs. While the setlist varied, most shows included surefire smashes like “Live While We’re Young,” “Kiss You,” “Best Song Ever” and “What Makes You Beautiful.”
One Direction’s On the Road Again Tour
After a well-deserved break in 2015, One Direction hit the road again in 2016 for their On the Road Again Tour. As expected, the tour saw the band continue to break records by performing at some of the biggest venues around the globe. The tour included massive shows at:
- Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California – drawing over 89,000 fans
- Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California – drawing over 75,000 fans
- Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts – drawing over 58,000 fans
- Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada – drawing over 50,000 fans
Other notable shows included sell-outs at San Siro Stadium in Milan, Stade de France in Paris, Olympiastadion in Berlin and Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. In total, One Direction played to nearly 2 million fans across 80 arena and stadium dates, grossing over $200 million.
One Direction’s Final Concert
After five wildly successful years together, One Direction announced in January 2016 that they would be taking an indefinite hiatus to pursue individual projects. As expected, excitement and demand for tickets to One Direction’s final scheduled concerts together reached fever pitch levels.
One Direction’s last full concert took place at Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England on October 3, 2015, in front of a crowd of approximately 13,500 fans. The 24-song set covered many of their smash hits and fan favorites. Despite rumors of their impending hiatus, the band remained upbeat during the bittersweet show.
Since One Direction’s hiatus began, Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Liam Payne and Niall Horan have all achieved solo success. But none have embarked on full-fledged stadium tours on their own yet. Until they do, One Direction’s record-breaking stadium shows from 2014-2015 stand as Louis Tomlinson’s biggest concerts to date.
Conclusion
During One Direction’s 2014-2015 touring heyday, Louis Tomlinson performed his biggest concerts at stadiums around the world, culminating with the band’s all-time attendance record of 385,000 fans across 5 sold-out shows at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Along with bandmates Styles, Payne and Horan, Tomlinson and One Direction broke numerous records by tailoring their larger-than-life production and catchy setlists for stadium-sized crowds. While Tomlinson has gone on to draw sizable crowds as a solo artist, he has not headlined a major worldwide stadium tour. As a result, One Direction’s Where We Are Tour stands as the undisputed pinnacle of his live performance career thus far. If Tomlinson ever returns to stadiums as a solo artist, he will have a very high bar to reach set by his era of unprecedented success with One Direction.