Flicker Sessions
Tour by Niall Horan
Promotional handbill for the tour
Associated albumFlicker
Start date29 August 2017 (2017-08-29)
End date22 November 2017 (2017-11-22)
Legs3
No. of shows20
Niall Horan concert chronology

The Flicker Sessions was the debut concert tour by Irish singer, Niall Horan. The tour supported his first studio album, Flicker (2017). Performing in theatres, the tour played 20 shows in Europe, Australia, Asia and the Americas.

Background

In September 2016, it was announced that Horan had signed a solo recording contract with Capitol Records.[1] Horan released two singles, "This Town" and "Slow Hands" prior to releasing his debut album in October 2017.[2][3]

The tour was officially announced on 10 July 2017 via Horan's social media accounts and website.[4] In North America, pre-sale tickets were made available via Ticketmaster's Verified Fan platform.[5] Many shows were sold-out, leaving fans upset with the limited number of shows and the small venues.[6] The singer responded to fans on social media that the 2017 shows were just the beginning.[7] His 2018 tour was announced in September 2017.[8]

Critical reception

The tour received favourable reviews from critics. Harry Guerin of RTÉ writes Horan gave a "polished performance" for the debut concert in Dublin. He continues: "With his well-drilled band already sounding like months on the road, his skills as a balladeer were impressive throughout. Upcoming Maren Morris duet "Seeing Blind" and the Fleetwood Mac-inspired "Since We're Alone" showed that the masses have yet to hear his classiest songs, while the man himself contended that the record's title track is the best thing he has written to date. He won't be alone in that opinion, either."[9] Rick Pearson from the London Evening Standard gave the show in London three out of five stars. He states: "[W]ith an electric guitar he did a fine job of recreating the Eighties driving rock of Don Henley on "Since We're Alone", while his acoustic version of Fool's Gold was far more affecting than the 1D original. "Slow Hands" sent the crowd into delirium, Horan sounding like a pop star who might yet give Messrs Styles and Malik a run for their money."[10]

For AXS, Marianne Meyer states the concert in Philadelphia was a "crowd pleaser". She goes on to say: "Horan gave the ladies just what they came for – a talented, charismatic onstage boyfriend who repeatedly thanked them for their support, cared that they were all having a good time, even apologized to those watching from the side balconies because he didn't directly face them as he sang."[11] In Silver Springs, Mareesha Galibs of The Hoya recalls the concert as "stellar". She says: "Horan is no longer performing alongside his bandmates, but if the Washington, D.C. stop on his tour is any indication, Horan is ready to make his mark on the world—all on his own."[12]

The show in Dallas was remarked as "stellar" by Preston Jones of the Dallas Observer. He writes: "It's a savvy creative choice, showcasing Horan's clear, light tenor voice, which stands firmly on its own and can adapt to whatever genres the singer-songwriter wants to explore. No one will mistake Horan's work for that of his fellow countrymen Glen Hansard and Van Morrison, but that tradition of iconoclastic troubadours isn't what Horan's current audience is after anyway."[13]

Opening acts

Setlist

The following setlist was obtained from the concert held 3 September 2017, at the Annexet in Stockholm, Sweden. It does not represent all concerts for the duration of the tour.[17]

  1. "The Tide"
  2. "Seeing Blind"
  3. "This Town"
  4. "Paper Houses"
  5. "You and Me"
  6. "Fire Away"
  7. "Flicker"
  8. "Too Much to Ask"
  9. "Since We're Alone"
  10. "Mirrors"
  11. "On the Loose"
Encore
  2. "Fool's Gold"
  3. "Slow Hands"
  4. "On My Own"
Notes

Tour dates

Date City Country Venue
Europe[20]
29 August 2017 Dublin Ireland Olympia Theatre
31 August 2017 London England O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire
3 September 2017 Stockholm Sweden Annexet
Australia[21]
10 September 2017 Sydney Australia Enmore Theatre
Asia[22]
14 September 2017 Tokyo Japan Ex Theater Roppongi
North America[23]
19 September 2017 Los Angeles United States Hollywood Palladium
South America[24]
1 October 2017 Rio de Janeiro Brazil Vivo Rio
North America[23]
29 October 2017 Philadelphia United States The Fillmore Philadelphia
31 October 2017 New York City Beacon Theatre
1 November 2017 Toronto Canada Massey Hall
3 November 2017 Boston United States Orpheum Theatre
4 November 2017 Silver Spring The Fillmore Silver Spring
6 November 2017 Miami Beach The Fillmore Miami Beach
9 November 2017 Lake Buena Vista House of Blues
10 November 2017 Atlanta Tabernacle
13 November 2017 Nashville Ryman Auditorium
15 November 2017 Rosemont Rosemont Theatre
17 November 2017 Dallas South Side Ballroom
20 November 2017 Phoenix Comerica Theatre
22 November 2017 San Francisco SF Masonic Auditorium
Cancellations and rescheduled shows
26 September 2017 Mexico City, Mexico El Plaza Condesa Cancelled[25]

Box office score data

Venue City Tickets sold / Available Gross revenue
Hollywood Palladium Los Angeles 3,665 / 3,868 (95%) $137,438[26]
Beacon Theatre New York City 2,766 / 2,766 (100%) $170,117[27]
TOTAL 6,431 / 6,634 (97%) $307,555

References

  1. ^ "Rumor Mill: Niall In the Family". Hits. HITS Digital Ventures. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  2. ^ Reed, Ryan (10 July 2017). "Niall Horan Plots Intimate 'Flicker Sessions 2017' World Tour". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media LLC. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  3. ^ Bacle, Ariana (4 May 2017). "Niall Horan gets funky on new track, 'Slow Hands'". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  4. ^ Bell, Sadie (10 July 2017). "Niall Horan Announces Worldwide Tour". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  5. ^ Ginsberg, Gabriella (10 July 2017). "Niall Horan Announces Epic Headlining Worldwide Tour For First Solo Album". Hollywood Life. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  6. ^ Finn, Melanie (15 July 2017). "Niall Horan fans left devastated as Irish gig sells out in minutes". Irish Independent. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  7. ^ Kaufman, Gil (11 July 2017). "Niall Horan is Sorry His Flicker Sessions Tour Isn't Hitting Your Town, But Says 'Bear With Me'". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  8. ^ Crockett, Jasmine (19 September 2017). "Niall Horan Announces "Flicker World Tour 2018" Dates". KROI. Urban One. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  9. ^ Guerin, Harry (1 September 2017). "Review: Niall Horan at the Olympia Theatre". RTÉ.ie. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  10. ^ Pearson, Rick (1 September 2017). "Niall Horan review: Navel-gazing ballads make 1D fans weak at the knees". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  11. ^ Meyer, Marianne (6 November 2017). "Review: Niall Horan warms up a damp D.C. area night on 'Flicker Sessions' tour". AXS. Anschutz Entertainment Group. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  12. ^ Galiba, Mayeesha (7 November 2017). "Concert Review: Niall Horan at the Fillmore". The Hoya. Georgetown University. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  13. ^ Jones, Preston (20 November 2017). "Niall Horan Celebrates Fans, Berates Cellphones at Southside Ballroom Show". Dallas Observer. Voice Media Group. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  14. ^ a b Ellenbogen, Rachael (15 August 2017). "Niall Horan Announces Opening Acts For His Upcoming Solo Tour". International Business Times. IBT Media. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  15. ^ "Niall Horan makes his world tour as 'Irish as possible' with local acts". Irish Examiner. Landmark Media Investments. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  16. ^ "Northern Ireland musicians join Niall Horan on stage as Flicker Sessions tour kicks off in Dublin". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  17. ^ Azarmi, Natasha (4 September 2017). "Niall Horan — en stor karaktär i en liten produktion" [Niall Horan - a big character in a small production]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Schibsted. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  18. ^ Hornstein, Paula (7 November 2017). "Niall Horan's first solo show in Boston sells out the Orpheum". The Huntington News. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  19. ^ "Niall Horan Setlist at Comerica Theatre, Phoenix". setlist.fm.
  20. ^ Sources for tour dates in Europe:
  21. ^ Adams, Cameron (11 July 2017). "Niall Horan touring Australia — but only playing in one capital city". news.com.au. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  22. ^ "Niall Horan Kicks Off Flicker Sessions Tour". Capitol Records. Universal Music Group. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  23. ^ a b "Niall Horan Announces "Flicker Sessions 2017"" (Press release). Los Angeles, California: Live Nation Entertainment. PR Newswire. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  24. ^ "Niall Horan, do One Direction, anuncia show no Rio de Janeiro em outubro". Extra. Grupo Globo. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  25. ^ Mahjouri, Shakiel (26 September 2017). "Niall Horan Forced To Cancel Mexico City Concert After Devastating Earthquake". Entertainment Tonight Canada. Corus Entertainment. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  26. ^ "Current Boxscore". Billboard. 25 January 2013. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  27. ^ "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard. Vol. 129. 25 November 2017. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
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