Illustration by Kayley (@deanchora) and Lee Enn (@zenigiri)

Photo By Yeoh Jia Chi

Niall, Zayn, Harry, Louis, and Liam delighted fans with a photo session outside Lecture Theater  12! On the evening of 21st June at 6 pm, Taylor’s Music Club (TMC) hosted a tribute concert that celebrated One Direction’s timeless music and ongoing legacy. The event featured performances that took Directioners back to memory lane, filling the venue with nostalgia and excitement.

Photo By Yeoh Jia Chi

After enjoying the photo booth with cutouts of the One Direction members outside LT12 , attendees were greeted with red ribbons and a sea of red, black, and white-themed outfits inside the venue. Hosted by the energetic Ashley, the second tribute concert by TMC was ready to begin. The concert started off with a burst of excitement and notable attendees included the owners of Dododots Pimple Patch. Vocalist John launched the night with the beloved hit “What Makes You Beautiful” alongside instrumentalists Alston, Harris, Fatheen, and DJ, setting the stage for the next performances. The next song, “History,” was performed by Gabby and instrumentalist DJ and the duo got the audience hooked as the performance was led by their rhythmic claps, echoing through the hall. Following that, Nora’s rendition of “Perfect,” accompanied by Alston, Harris, Axel, and Anish, took the energy up a notch. The drumbeats pulsed powerfully, sending waves of excitement through the crowd.

Photo By Chin Jia Xuan

Moving on, the following performance was “More Than This” by vocalist Heidi and instrumentalist Danny. Heidi’s melodious and soft voice turned the crowd into a sky of stars with everyone swaying their flashlights. Kareena’s rendition of “Eighteen” with instrumentalist Danny changed the atmosphere completely to an explosion of cheers. Danny’s guitar riffs left the audience mesmerised while Heidi’s sweet voice enchanted everyone. “Story Of My Life” was next performed by vocalist Miguel and instrumentalists Alston, Ray, Axel, and Anish. The striking drum beats captivated the audience, while Miguel’s warm voice created a moment of pure contentment among fans. The show-stealer, “Steal My Girl” by vocalist DJ, had the crowd singing along, their roar of applause demonstrating their anticipation and joy for the song.

Photo By Alicia Lo

Midway through the concert, a ten-minute break allowed One Direction lovers to reconnect and hydrate their parched voice. Shortly after, everyone’s excitement knew no bounds as it was time for a game session; “Directioner’s IQ Test”. Players eagerly scanned the QR code to enter the game field, answering live questions and competing to climb the rankings.  Among the questions, “How many Brit awards did One Direction win during their career?” had participants racing to answer. Ultimately, the winner was rewarded with a heart-touching prize - one of the cutouts of the One Direction members. Directioners were very lucky since the cutouts were according to the true heights of the members, which made the gift from TMC even more meaningful.

After the break, Andrea’s soft and melodious performance of “Fool’s Gold” alongside DJ’s instrumental accompaniment turned into a peaceful moment. MC Ashley’s question, “What superpower would you ever wish for?” perfectly set the stage for “If I Could Fly” by vocalist Raziq and instrumentalist Axel. Raziq’s deep and intense voice, complemented by Axel’s piano beats, had the crowd filling in the lines. Vocalist Angie, along with instrumentalists Danny, Ray, Axel, and Anish, performed “Right Now,” with Danny’s exceptional guitar melody sparking a rush of enthusiastic screams from the crowd, while Angie’s vocals united  the audience in song.

Photo By Yeoh Jia Chi

As the concert neared its end, debut vocalist En Tong performed “Night Changes'' alongside instrumentalist Justin. She effortlessly won over the audience with her joyful and soothing voice and her performance was concluded with one of the warmest applause of the night. “Best Song Ever” followed, performed by vocalist Ray and instrumentalists Danny, Ray, and Fatheen, with fans already on their feet, dancing and singing at the top of their lungs. The excitement reached its peak with “Kiss You” by vocalist Salma and instrumentalists Lucas, Harris, Tavian, and Jenny, electrifying the atmosphere further.

Photo By Chin Jia Xuan

Finally, the closing song, “Midnight Memories,” performed by John, Lucas, Harris, and Fatheen, left the whole venue echoing with excitement. The blend of guitar tunes and drum beats rocked the concert, leaving fans yearning for an encore. Their heartfelt wish was granted by a surprise performance from “BackLog”- a music band from Taylor’s University. The band’s thrilling guitar riffs and thunderous drum beats added even more energy to the crowd. All the fans were relishing in the final moment of the night until the lights came on, marking the official end of the concert.

Lastly, the event organisers and fans got the chance to share their thoughts:

“How did TMC come up with the idea for a  One Direction Tribute Concert and how was the fans’ response ?”

Everyone talks about a potential One Direction reunion, though it might not happen. However, the idea of such an event is what we all desire, and we could relive our childhood. Our tribute concert was sold out, leaving us thrilled. We had around 200 attendees, some sitting and some standing, and for us, it is definitely a success. - Aysha, Project Manager

The performance of “Kiss You” was one of the best as it got everyone singing, standing up, and dancing. I was lucky to have gotten the tickets early, and I never expected such a rush for the tickets, but it’s TMC, they always deliver. - Lee Sher EE, Audience Member

The crowd was great, and I didn’t have to put in extra effort to engage them. They were very responsive, and whenever I encouraged them to show more energy and get their competitive side out, they were enthusiastic. The BODs always had my back, and whenever we felt the energy dip, they would reset the tone and help light up the atmosphere again. - Ashley, MC

I came to support my friend who was performing, and I have been to previous TMC concerts before, and they have all been really good. ‘Kiss You’ and ‘Best Song Ever’ were definitely the best songs. - Audience Member

The event concluded with bittersweet memories and a strong sense of nostalgia as fans relived the golden era of One Direction. The concert highlighted the massive and enduring legacy of One Direction, showing how their music remains alive through the fans. TMC’s impeccable hosting ensured that the tribute concert created some of the best ‘midnight memories’ for the audience and has yet again promised something for the coming semester that will certainly be worth the wait.