REVIEW: Louis Tomlinson’s How Did We Get Here? Tour in Chicago
WRITTEN BY TALIA NEWMAN
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Photo by Talia Newman
The vibes were high at Allstate Arena as I walked in for the How Did We Get Here? Tour. As I sat down, I heard “Remember When” by Wallows on the speakers. I immediately felt at home. To me, the pre-show playlist sets the tone for the whole night, so I knew the show was going to be excellent. I was feeling super excited for what was ahead of me. As I reached my seats I took in the community I was surrounded by. Today was a significant day for fangirls everywhere. Taylor Swift’s wedding. The crowd was buzzing over any information that was released to social media. So while I sat waiting for the first set to begin, I was able to make friends easily. I found myself talking to my neighbors around me, bonding over mutual love for tattoos and Harry Styles. Something I like about Louis fans is that they feel incredibly accepting. No one here is judging anyone; we're all just here for a good time.
As “On Melancholy Hill” by Gorillaz faded out, Picture Parlour, a rock band from the UK, began their opening set. Their indie rock sound felt cohesive with the evening lineup. I had never heard the band's music prior to their performance, but it stuck with me. I enjoyed their modern take on 70s rock and always appreciate songs where you can feel the drum in your body. Following their set, Picture Parlour exited exactly how they first entered the stage, walking off to a jingle that reminded me of the music you would hear at a carnival or on a merry-go-round. A mix of uneasiness and nostalgia.
Then came The Beaches as the second opening act. A band that sparked my initial interest in attending this concert. I had been a fan of The Beaches since the release of their second album, Blame My Ex, in 2023. I hadn’t had the pleasure of hearing them live yet, so this was definitely a highlight of my night. They played my personal favorite song, “Blame Brett” to close the set. Something I really enjoy about The Beaches is their super girl power fuck men attitude.
The room got darker, and “Remember When” started playing on the speakers again. Moments later, all music stopped and the lights turned off completely. Louis walks out to the Chicago crowd. Everyone is anticipating the start of his first Chicago arena solo performance. He opens with “Lemonade,” the leading single off his newest album. As the song reaches its peak, yellow confetti is released into the crowd.
Louis continues entertaining the crowd with hits from his past albums, Faith in the Future and Walls, until the stage goes quiet and dark. I can see people on the stage shuffling, setting up for something different toward the front of the catwalk. And that's when the lights go back on, and Louis begins to play “Night Changes.” As someone who grew up with One Direction, it always warms me inside to hear any of the members sing a song from their past during their solo performances. I never got to see One Direction on tour, but hearing this song live in 2026 was the next best thing. Suddenly, I was 10 again, hearing this song for the first time.
The band setup returns to its original position as Louis kicks off into the main part of his set, featuring all of his brand new songs. The songs are upbeat and loud and perfect for summer. Towards the end of his set he begins to close with “Silver Tongues,” a song from his last album that actually turned me into a fan of his solo work. I remember when this song first came out and was brought to my attention. Following this song, Louis says goodnight and “ends the show,” and of course, I stayed at my seat. Of course, the show wasn’t done yet. And that's when the song that was my reason for coming to this tour came on. During the encore, I finally got to hear “Miss You” - one of Louis' first solo singles from 2017. A song that I enjoy screaming in the car with my sister. This song was cut from the Faith in the Future tour and made me quite sad. When I saw it was put on the setlist for this tour, I knew I had to be there just to hear it.
Even though Louis cut the song before I could rap my favorite bridge, I was still incredibly thankful to hear this song live. A great way to bring the night to a close and leave me exiting the arena happy as can be.
This tour did not sell out completely on Ticketmaster but it definitely deserved to. This is great news for you guys because that means you can still get tickets at a reasonable price and make it to a show nearby. Definitely get yourself to a Louis Tomlinson show for a fun and nostalgic night you won’t forget.