Harry Styles turned a Friday night concert into something quieter and heavier this week. On the 25th anniversary of September 11th, the singer paused his show at Madison Square Garden and told the crowd he wanted everyone to take a moment to think about the incredible resilience of New York City.
Styles shared his own memory of the day, telling fans he was 7 years old and walking home from school when the attacks happened, and that his world became completely different after that. In the middle of a 30-night residency at MSG, he asked the audience to put their phones away and close their eyes while his bandmate Yaffra performed Bill Evans’“Peace Piece”on piano. The tribute also came just days after criticism over ticket artwork showing a car flying over the Empire State Building.
For a lot of us, this one hits close to home. Twenty-five years on, fewer people remember that morning firsthand, and more know it only from what they’ve been told. Whether a big concert moment like this helps keep the memory alive, or whether celebrity tributes even belong on that stage, is a debate worth having. But a packed arena going still and quiet for a few minutes isn’t nothing.
Where were you on 9/11, and have you shared that story with your kids? Let us know in the comments.
About the Author
Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
