July 31st is a day that will go down in history for One Direction fans, not only did the boys hand us a brand new, INCREDIBLE, single in the middle of the night in America; they showed us in more ways than one that they’re united, strong, and here to stay.
The concert in Indianapolis was one the fans expected to be supercharged after the release and success from the first single off of their 5th album. It went to number 1 in under an hour, and by the end of 24 it was number 1 in over 81 countries. Radio stations, television shows, and magazines/online news sources were reporting on the surprise hit single saying it was more than just a song for the boys; it was a triumphant yell that One Direction is more focused and dedicated to their music and their fans than ever. So coming from that sort of high it was only expected that the boys would be full of energy and life on stage, and walking into Lucas Oil Stadium; you could feel it.
Once the lights dimmed in the stadium and One Direction was moments away from running on stage the mood in the place shifted; the anticipation grew exponentially, the fans were louder than ever, and the air was electrically charged and in the moment everything went black, One Direction stormed the stage to the beat of Clouds and absolutely went crazy.
Seeing the dynamic of the boys in 30 second videos and photos is lovely, but experiencing it in person is another thing entirely. They are so united as a band but also so strong in themselves that you can’t go a second without feeling like they’re performing the entire concert for just you.
Harry looked at the crowd last night and solidified that when he said it was their job to put on an incredible concert and our job to enjoy it, and enjoy it we did.
As the boys sang every song, joked with each other on stage, and interacted with the crowd, OTRA Indy was a smash. The fans were going crazy, the boys were all smiling bigger than they had in months, and there were no awkward spots or missed vocals; and then the beautiful moment came that every One Direction fan waits for now, the beat of No Control began and everyone went wild. Louis’ strong vocals lead the song and he owns the stage in confidence; only last night there was a bit of a change in the script.
Louis is usually the one responsible for introducing No Control by thanking the crowd for their involvement in the fan release project and telling us all how much it meant to him and the rest of the band when we made that happen. During last nights show though, Liam introduced the song, which gave Louis the opportunity to speak after they’d finished it. In true fashion; he did thank the crowd for their involvement but he also mentioned Drag Me Down and thanked us all for that too; and as if it were actually Christmas; he looked into the crowd and calmly asked if we’d like to hear it.
Before the start of the deafening screams that said yes yes yes; the room was so silent for a second that you could have heard a pin drop. That’s all it took before OTRA Indy heard the first few electrifying notes of Drag Me Down and the boys sang it like their life depended on it. They performed it absolutely flawlessly! They hit every note, sang every word with a fire in their hearts, and danced like it was almost a release in a different way. Like Drag Me Down is truly the way One Direction decided to remind us fans that they’re here for us just as we have been for them and this is just a new beginning of a new era for them.
Hearing the song on radio was one thing; but seeing the boys perform it live, watching them give their all to lyrics like “I’ve got a river for a soul and baby you’re a boat” to “All my life, you stood by me when no one else was ever behind me” was something absolutely I describable. The song is something so personal, the lyrics so close to their hearts; I truly believe they put their love and their past, present, and future all into that song in the most beautiful way and it was evident from the power behind their vocals to their expressions on their faces as they belted out the lyrics.
http://https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4cqJs4G3eqk
Being in the stadium and getting to see that new era begin for the boys is something I’ll never take for granted, something I can’t put into words perfectly, but I can say this; Louis, Liam, Harry, and Niall: we hear you. We are just as excited for the future as all of you are and we couldn’t be more proud of you! Thank you for sharing Drag Me Down with Indianapolis last night, thanks for performing an incredible set as usual, and thanks for never giving up on us. We have the best idols in the four of you and there aren’t proper words to describe how full you make our hearts.
No other artist or group puts as much time, compassion, and energy into their fan base. They don’t make their fans feel like old friends the way you do and for that, we are eternally grateful. We may never be able to repay you for everything you’ve done for us but I can speak for One Direction fans as a hole when I say we’ll keep trying as long as you’ll let us.