EXCLUSIVE: After attending his One Night Only comeback concert in Manchester, Brit Cult editor Mark Knox gives his verdict on what Together, Together 2026 will deliver
Harry Styles is back on tour with Together, Together this summer
As Harry Styles kicks off his 12-night Wembley Stadium leg Together, together tour, around a million ticket holders are ready to soak up every second – and he’s promised to give them everything.
Having often spoken of his love of performing live and the special and safe atmosphere created by fans at his concerts, Harry said in an interview in 2023: “Playing to an amazing group of people every night is my favorite, favorite thing to do.”
And after attending his One Night Only comeback gig in Manchester earlier this year, Brit Cult editor Mark Knox says Together, together promises to be nothing short of “brilliant”.
“ONE Harry Styles gig feels as close to a 1970s rock concert as we’ll ever get again,” he says OK !. “It takes you to a time when the world seemed more fun, and yes, it could be 2026 or whenever, but his shows almost feel timeless, like it could be any point in history.”
He continues: “In the best possible way, his concerts have evocative vibes, with everyone there to have fun. It’s about the music, the joy and the fun, and Harry is the conduit for that.”
In what has become an increasingly controversial topic, Harry’s decision to limit his world tour to seven cities has come under some criticism. He recently spoke on the subject, insisting that the limited geography “makes the show better”.
“I think you can build something that doesn’t have to travel every night,” he explained. “I think there’s something about this that allows me to stay in my life while I’m doing it, and so I think it allows me to take better care of myself, which I think makes me better at doing things.”
Harry is set to perform 67 shows on four continents, including a 30-night stint at New York City’s Madison Square Garden and his Wembley Stadium run.
Expectations are high, and according to Michael Cragg, author of Reach F or T he stars early signs suggest a significant shift away from Harry’s previous world tours.
“The most interesting thing about him is that nobody quite knows what’s coming with the shows, because the album seems to be more for him than it is for other people,” he says. OK !. “It doesn’t have the same kind of big sing-a-long pop songs and it’s more complex in terms of the lyrics, so it’s going to be really interesting to see how it plays out in the live shows.
“It says a lot about his position that he can organize a tour where he stays in one place for a long time, and hopefully that means a lot happens in terms of staging and sets. He’s excellent at communicating a sense of togetherness, even in big stadiums, and he wants keep it even though the venues are getting bigger and bigger.”
Harry’s final global tour, Love on tour was supposed to start in April 2020, but was postponed twice due to Covid-19. It officially began in September 2021 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. of America Pollstar magazine, the so-called bible of the live music industry, described the first concert as “mind-blowing” and said it should give everyone working in the industry – and every music fan – renewed confidence in a post-Covid world.
“Styles’ ecstatic performances, in perpetual motion, running for miles around arenas while singing in his rich and expansive baritone and dancing his ass off—but never breaking a sweat—are a sight to behold,” wrote Andy Gensler.
In addition to his energetic performances of tracks from his Harry’s house and Nice line album, there was also considerable focus on Harry’s “tour-drobe” – particularly his high-waisted trousers and wide legs, block-heeled boots and an impressive array of sequin vests and sparkling shirts.
Spanning seven legs and around 170 shows – including a 15-night stint at Madison Square Garden – the tour earned more than £452 million in ticket sales alone, with around five million people witnessing his magic on stage.
Describing it as “the greatest experience of my life”, Harry added: “Thank you to my band and all the crew for making the last few years so special. It’s been an absolute pleasure.
“Thank you to everyone who came out to see us play. I feel so incredibly full and happy, it’s all because of you. You have given me memories that will last a lifetime, more than I could have ever dreamed of.”
The sheer extent of Love ISLAND n Tour made his first trip, Live ISLANDn Tour look positively tiny. It consisted of a relatively modest 89 shows that ran from September 2017 to July of the following year, starting in smaller venues before venturing into arenas later in the schedule.
“He built up very cleverly,” says Michael, “and made the conscious decision to start in venues like the Hammersmith Apollo, which are more of a theatre. Then he slowly, slowly moved up to arenas like the O2, which hold around 20,000 people, before moving up again to Wembley Stadium.
“It was a smart way to do it because he learned and proved himself along the way. And now he has 12 dates in a row at Wembley.”
Beyond the dazzling costumes and energetic performances, Harry injects a strong sense of unity, acceptance and community into each tour. “Please be whoever you choose to be in this room tonight,” he told his Madison Square audience in June 2018, during what Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone called an “emotional assault” of a night – but in all the right ways. Pride flags and “coming out signs” have become synonymous with Harry’s concerts, and he aims to create a “safe space” for both his fans and himself.
“The feeling that there’s a space where people feel safe enough to share those big moments with a room full of people and share them with us is probably one of the things I’m most proud of,” he once said.
“The atmosphere created in the performance space is a free, incredibly emotionally generous atmosphere. It’s one of the first things people comment on… feeling safe, like a family full of strangers all feeling this free evening, and it’s a kind of escape.”
