Louis Tomlinson brought his How Did I Get Here World Tour to The Anthem in Washington, DC, on July 7, delivering an energetic, career-spanning performance before a crowd that nearly filled the 6,000-capacity venue. Best known for his years with One Direction, Tomlinson has firmly established himself as a solo artist, and his latest tour showcases both his growing catalog and the confidence of a performer fully in command of the stage.
Touring behind his new album How Did I Get Here?, Tomlinson treated fans to a 24-song set that balanced fresh material with fan favorites and a welcome nod to his One Direction past.
The evening featured two impressive opening acts.
Manchester’s Picture Parlour opened with a seven-song, half-hour set highlighted by “Cielo Drive” and a closing rendition of “Norwegian Wood.” Frontwoman Katherine Parlour commanded attention with a powerful vocal performance, while the band’s gritty rock sound recalled influences ranging from The Pretenders and Patti Smith to T. Rex.
Canadian indie rockers The Beaches followed with a terrific 10-song performance. Jordan Miller led the band through standout renditions of “Takes One to Know One,” “Edge of the Earth,” and the always crowd-pleasing “Blame Brett.” Miller also fondly recalled the band’s appearance at the 9:30 Club roughly a year earlier, drawing an enthusiastic response from the audience.
When Tomlinson finally took the stage, the energy inside The Anthem immediately shifted into another gear.
He exploded into the set with “Lemonade,” accompanied by blasts of confetti that instantly transformed the room into a celebration. The song proved an ideal opener, pairing soaring guitars, dynamic lighting, and Tomlinson’s distinctive vocals with infectious energy.
New songs continued with “On Fire,” another standout from the new album that already feels destined to become a concert favorite. Throughout the evening, the audience sang and danced along as Tomlinson and his band moved effortlessly between driving rock anthems and more intimate moments.
Watch the official music visualizer for “On Fire” by Louis Tomlinson on YouTube:
Although Tomlinson often performs with little unnecessary movement, confidently planting himself center stage and letting his vocals carry the songs, he knows exactly when to change the mood. During acoustic performances, he and several band members ventured onto the extended stage, creating a far more intimate atmosphere and bringing the performance deep into the audience.
One of the night’s biggest singalongs came with One Direction’s “Night Changes,” a reminder of the superstar group that first introduced Tomlinson to millions of fans.
The emotional centerpiece of the evening arrived during “Sunflowers,” when thousands of illuminated cell phones filled The Anthem as fans sang every word alongside Tomlinson. It was one of several quieter moments that provided a welcome contrast to the show’s louder, guitar-driven material.
Among the strongest songs from the new album were “Imposter” and “Sanity,” both of which landed particularly well in the live setting. Their emotional lyrics and expansive arrangements demonstrated how comfortably Tomlinson’s newer material sits alongside his established favorites.
Between songs, Tomlinson remained warm and conversational, thanking the audience several times and reflecting on how much he appreciates the support he receives at every stop on tour. That connection with the crowd has become one of his greatest strengths as a solo performer.
He closed the evening with a powerful trio of “Miss You,” “Send Me Under,” and the emotional finale “Palaces,” sending fans home after 90 minutes of polished, passionate pop-rock.
Watch Louis Tomlinson perform “Palaces” live for Amazon Music on YouTube:
For longtime One Direction fans, the concert offered welcome moments of nostalgia. More importantly, however, it demonstrated just how far Tomlinson has come as a solo artist. Backed by an outstanding band and a growing catalog of confident, arena-ready songs, he delivered one of the summer’s strongest pop-rock performances at The Anthem.
Setlist
1. Lemonade
2. On Fire
3. Written All Over Your Face
4. Out of My System
5. Saturdays
6. Dark to Light
7. Broken Bones
8. Defenceless (acoustic)
9. Night Changes
10. Lazy
11. Sunflowers
12. Lucid
13. Jump the Gun
14. Imposter
15. Sanity
16. Last Night
17. Kill My Mind
18. Face the Music
19. Silver Tongues
20. The Observer
21. The Answer (acoustic)
22. Miss You
23. Send Me Under
24. Palaces
Here are some photos of Louis Tomlinson performing live at The Anthem on July 7, 2026. All pictures by Elizabeth Baummer.
