One Direction plays to screaming Brisbane fans By Amber Smith, aged 14 I walked into the sold-out Brisbane Entertainment Centre as support act Five Seconds of Summer were playing. The cheers and screams from the girls were ear piercing, and it wasn't even the main act! The tension while everyone was waiting for One Direction to start was intense. When the five boys finally came on, I found myself screaming and cheering like everyone else. The sound of over 10,000 girls yelling, cheering, clapping and screaming for a group of boys was unlike any sound you could imagine. You could tell One Direction were nervous, but still comfortable performing. They weren't snobby but instead waved, blew kisses and were fun and respectable towards the crowd. No matter what they said the crowd just screamed and made so much noise. When they spoke to each other, they joked but were serious at the same time. The group thanked the fans over and over again, causing the girls to scream and cry even more. The way they performed was incredible; it was a comfortable environment, except for the screaming girls. They played a good selection of their songs. It was a really good show, I enjoyed it so much and would definitely go again if I had the chance. I think everyone should go! The above words were penned by my 14-year-old cousin Amber, who was put to work writing a review in return for a spare ticket to One Direction's first Brisbane concert. You know, make the young people work for it. In all honesty, her review perfectly sums up the live experience of the fantastically popular boy band - for its target demographic, anyway. Try as she might to be hard-as-nails and disapproving of overly screechy fandom on the trip to Boondall, the appearance of Harry, Niall, Liam, Zayn and Louis had Amber up, cheering, bouncing and filming quicker than she could say "Louis is my favourite!" However, it is to the non-fans that I address: those who think "One Direction" is a brand of SatNav system; and those who found themselves attending such a discombobulating event because of their dedication to the calling of parenthood. Yes, Mums and Dads, I'm looking at you. Frankly, the corridors of the BEC on Saturday night resembled an evacuation centre; a makeshift facility full of sallow faces and slumped bodies, left limp and battered by Cyclone 1D. Those were the parents who had brought their offspring to the concert, but for reasons of cost or sanity preservation had opted not to see it themselves. I can only hope those who actually ventured into the arena rewarded themselves with a stiff drink on their safe return home. But the winds of Cyclone 1D - which have been blowing full-time now for well over two years - seem to have taken a toll on the band too. Their performances smacked of the tiredness that must come with a non-stop touring schedule. The collection of haircuts and tattoos that make up One Direction are harmless enough. They sing relatively inoffensive pop about the flush of young romance: causing fans to flush with anticipation and haters to want to flush them all down the toilet. The boys performed all their hits: the one about wanting to kiss you; the one about how good you look; the one about how unique you are; the one about how they want you back; the one about all the things they love about you. It's not particularly new territory, but One Direction is certainly not a boy band in the N*Sync/Backstreet Boys vein: no choreographed dance routines here, just moving around stage and crooning into handheld microphones, backed by a highly competent band. There's no doubt they've got some singing chops, but the sound system didn't seem to be on their side for the first few numbers, with lyrics hard to make out and the mix a tad off. However, the overpowering screaming could have had contributed to any hearing impairment. The big bit of showbiz jazziness came when a raised platform at the back of the stage was drawn on railings out over the crowd, depositing the plucky quintet onto a smaller secondary stage for a few numbers. You could sense the simultaneous onset of puberty in thousands of onlookers as they watched their idols sail overhead. The lads used the smaller stage time to banter for about ten minutes, checking in with each other, offering sporting-style commentary on how the night was shaping up (including repeated observations about the "loudness" of the Brisbane crowd), and answering some Twitter questions. Yes, it turns out they ARE excited about their new album, coincidentally being released next month. One of the best things about the show was a charming pre-recorded skit of band members dressing in heavy disguise and playing pranks on the unsuspecting public. The energy and vibrancy of that segment seemed to perk them up, and the final third of the show seemed boosted for big hits like Rock Me, Live While We're Young and a cover of Wheatus' Teenage Dirtbag. The encore of Best Song Ever and What Makes You Beautiful rounded out the evening, with oversized balloons substituting for the boys themselves as buoyant crowdsurfers. However, during the same song, an image of our city's name was projected onto the large backing screens, proudly proclaiming: Who knows if the same mistake was made at their Sdyney, Meblourne or Preth shows, but it would seem to indicate some fatigue may have set in somewhere. Australia is one of the last stops on the Take Me Home tour, and with a new album out in a month, it's probably wise that management take One Direction home for some R&R. Yes, they want to live while they're young, and yes, I might sound like an old nanna, but even 20-year-olds can benefit from a bit of naptime.