One Direction gives fans an exclusive concert in Orlando, Christmas came early for about 2,000 fans of English-Irish boy band One Direction on Tuesday night as the supergroup performed seven songs for an upcoming television show at an exclusive concert.
The faithful braved temperatures that plummeted into the 40s and stood for three hours while the group's five singers sang and recorded narration for the holiday television special, which will air Dec. 23 on NBC.
The filming took place at Universal Studios Orlando a day after the theme park hosted a morning concert televised on NBC's "Today" show. Universal and NBC are both owned by Comcast.
The crowd was pleased to see Zayn Malik appear Tuesday night as he was a no-show for Monday's performance. Bandmate Liam Payne had told "Today" that Malik was ill. Fans chanted "Zayn, Zayn, Zayn," during Tuesday's filming.
Less structured than a concert, the frequent stops, starts and "do-overs" during the filming gave members of One Direction, which also includes Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan, plenty of time to interact with the crowd.
Are you cold? I was going to say 'Huddle together for warmth,' but you're already there," said Styles, who wore a long coat during the sound check. His concern for the audience's warmth didn't prevent him from spraying a bottle of water over fans later on.
Fans were treated to jokes from Styles, impromptu dance moves from Payne and impressions from Horan — he does a darn good impersonation of television host Mario Lopez, as it happens.
A joke that led into an a cappella rendition of "Let It Go," from "Frozen," the smash-hit movie from theme-park rival Disney, probably made Universal officials cringe. But it was amusing to hear Styles deadpan the song's best-known line: "The cold never bothered me anyway."
The special Orlando concerts are part of the frenzy surrounding the release of the band's latest album, "Four." The first three albums by 1D, as fans abbreviate the band's name, each debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard chart — the first group to achieve such a feat.
Addison Halcomb of Oviedo has been a fan of the boys, who rose to fame on the British TV show "The X Factor" in 2010, for nearly half her life. The 8-year-old, who was accompanied by her aunt, said Malik was her favorite guy in the band and "Story of My Life" her favorite song.
Kaci Kestory, 15, of DeLand, is partial to Styles — and keeps a lifesize cardboard cutout of him in her bedroom. She lucked out when a friend who won tickets from a radio station gave them to her and her mom, Melanie.
"They're nice, they're approachable," Kaci said of the 1D guys' appeal.
Jennifer Saborito of Longwood was also with her mom, Theresa, and sister Nicole. A University of Florida student, Saborito didn't want her professors to know her whereabouts.
"I'm skipping school for this," said the 19-year-old student. She became a fan in 2012 when a friend took her to the One Direction concert at Orlando's Amway Center.
"I was unwilling to go," she said, "but then I saw them and I fell in love. I love their personalities — and their music is catchy."
Theresa Sabrito has become a fan, as well.
"I hate to say it, but yes," said mom, laughing. "They're adorable."
Other fans at Tuesday's event traveled from the Netherlands, Japan, Portugal, Brazil and South America for the event, which opened with a special show on the Universal Studios lagoon featuring fireworks, lasers, fountains and video projections synced to One Direction hits.
The crowd for the concert was mostly well-behaved — officials were quick to remind people not to push — though fans had to be admonished at one point for throwing objects on the stage. Despite a ban on photography and video-taking, cell phones surrepitiously bobbed up and down.
The guys frequently thanked the crowd for remaining energetic despite the chill in the air and for its patience when songs were performed multiple times. After the fourth run-through of "Girl Almighty," Payne quipped "It never gets old!"
"One Direction: The TV Special" will air from 8-9 p.m. Dec. 23 on NBC, locally WESH-Channel 2.
