Niall Horan performs at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif. on July 26, 2024. Mariana Garcia/STAFF.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Irish pop singer and former One Directioner Niall Horan brought his much-anticipated The Show tour to Shoreline Amphitheater on balmy Friday.

Horan’s silhouette appeared behind a gold curtain—worthy of a theater production and with a pair of wiggly eyes at the top—to the first chords of “Nice to Meet Ya,” from his 2020 sophomore solo album, Heartbreak Weather.

He and his band followed it up with “Small Talk,” an upbeat and poignant tune. The set was balanced mix of songs from his latest album, The Show, and older hits like “On the Loose,” from his debut solo album, 2017’s Flicker. Most were funky.

Horan continued with “The Show” on piano, before switching to an acoustic guitar for more newer songs like “Never Grow Up” and “Save My Life.”

“Last time I was here was six years ago,” he noted. “It was busy back then… but tonight it’s packed.”

A disco ball lit up Shoreline during “Night Changes.”

Niall Horan performs at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif. on July 26, 2024.

“I’ve been coming to this area since 2013 and every time here is unbelievable,” he said, again thanking fans for the support, this time reaching back to his One Direction days. “You can feel it in the air tonight. Thanks for the last 10 years of coming here and the last 14 of support.”

Performing at Shoreline for the first time since 2018’s Flicker tour, supporting his 2017 solo debut of the same name, Horan had the curtain lowered to create a more intimate atmosphere for an acoustic rendition of that album’s title track. Stripped down to just his voice and guitar, it was a poignant moment that highlighted his songwriting strengths and ability to convey raw emotion. The acoustic mini set also included “This Town” and “You Can Start a Cult.”

With the curtains back up, the stage filled with blue light for the opening of single “Heaven,” during which the upbeat chorus had the crowd singing and clapping along.

Horan’s 2020 Bay Area show, supporting album Heartbreak Weather, was of course canceled due to the pandemic. That album included “San Francisco,” which he included this time around and was also a highlight.

Gina Miles performs at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif. on July 26, 2024.

“I had to do it. I’ve been waiting a long time to do that one,” he said afterward.

Horan’s warm interactions with the crowd felt genuine. He shared stories behind his songs and read a few handmade signs out loud, from that of a child at his first concert to a fan asking him to pick her first dance song for her wedding. After some back and forth, “Black and White” was the chosen song.

To bring the night to an end, Horan and the band played “Heartbreak Weather” and “Slow Hands.” His microphone didn’t seem to work for the first verse of the latter; either that or it was part of the show. But the crowd filled in for him, leading the way until he took over again.

Del Water Gap performs at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif. on July 26, 2024.

“The Voice” season 23 winner Gina Miles opened the show. The Illinois native and Sacramento resident sang two unreleased originals, “Hey Stranger” and “Left You Once,” the latter a song about a relationship cycle that will not end.

Alone on stage with her acoustic guitar, Miles also played her latest single, her cover of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game.” The powerful ballad showed off her pipes. It’s noteworthy that Horan, was Miles’ coach on the realty TV competition.

Miles was followed by singer-songwriter Del Water Gap (S. Holden Jaffe), who kept the vibes flowing with songs like “Coping On Unemployment,” from his latest album, 2023’s  I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet. There was also “High Tops,” am older raw song with powerful lyrics, and “Alone Together,” about falling in love in the pandemic, from his 2021 self-titled album. He closed out with indie hit “Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat.”

Follow photographer Mariana García at instagram.com/marianagphoto.