I was a whiner, a cynic, a misanthrope. Then I saw Harry Styles live – and I’ll never be the same again Polly Hudson

THis answers to some small questions are very revealing. We think of it as just small talk, but asking someone’s first thing often reveals everything you need to know about who they are today and why. If only I had understood the implications of purchasing Black Lace’s Wig Wam Bam as my first music purchase – I’d have known it would shape a lot of future interactions and realized how ridiculous it feels to simply say those words, even to those too young or adorable to recognize the full sonic horror.

So, to stop the generational trauma, when the opportunity arose to provide my son with the dream answer to “What was your first concert?” I took it to Harry Styles at Wembley during a heatwave that shattered the thermometer.

Disclaimer: I knew it would be good. I was also well aware that, since my 11-year-old and I are both Styles fans, being with him would be a great, cool thing. What I didn’t expect was what happened: an almost religious experience. This party changed my physiology, it changed my DNA. My life from now on is divided – BH and AH – and I couldn’t be more surprised.

It’s hard to explain how unlikely this is for me as a candidate, especially in extreme weather conditions. Terrible in difficult circumstances, I have a passive aggressive spirit. I’m not one to keep calm and carry on – I whine, whine, whine. I’m also a cynic and misanthropist. I hate crowds, big events, joining in, forced pleasure. Even when I’m looking forward to something, I’m always thrilled if it gets cancelled, or wonder when I can leave while I’m there. But at the end of this gig, if Styles had offered to do it again from the beginning, I would have said, “Yes, please — maybe twice, if that’s okay?”

There’s a lot going on that has me rolling on paper and dry. For example, when he arrived on stage, Styles said: “Good evening, my name is Harry.” Doesn’t that seem ridiculous? loves, We know your name. But in person? Breathtaking! modest! healthy!

A song called Treat People Kindly? In theory: yuk. In fact: sharing with 89,999 other believers has healed something inside me. The planet may be on fire, both figuratively and literally, but here was a sweaty slice of hope. The temperature was hell, but the evening was heaven.

Styles has been performing in stadiums for 16 years, not to mention the 10 nights he spent in Amsterdam before tonight, the halfway point in his 12 Wembley gigs. However, the enthusiasm, joy and verve he brought to the stage could have convinced a rock native that this was his inaugural show.

“We’ll take care of each other. Please try to stay hydrated. If you ever need anything, please let me know—we can stop anytime,” he said, which might have seemed like an empty promise if he hadn’t done exactly that a few nights ago, after noticing in the crowd a distraught girl who had become separated from her sister.

I’ll never forget my son’s face when he saw the first pop star he really liked right in front of him. He grabbed my hand and squeezed it tighter than any other mother, practically unable to comprehend that this mythical creature was real, present, walking—strutting, twirling, dancing, singing—among us. It was pure magic.

I’ve been to big concerts before, but this was different. private. adult. The control, energy, and influence this man has are extraordinary and emotional to watch, mostly because he truly seems to be using his power for good. To spread messages of inclusivity, compassion, unity, acceptance, self-expression, vulnerability, and respect – all delivered with a smile and a twinkle in his eye, thus subtly perverting piety. As a role model for pre-teens, not too shabby.

There is no simple, immediate cure for the world’s ills. No one could make it happen, not even Stiles. But after seeing him, instead of feeling depressed, helpless and a failure, I have a song in my heart, a spring in my step and a belief that “maybe we can treat people with kindness and find a place to feel good.”

Polly Hudson is a freelance writer

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