‘The 1975 At Their Very Best’ has been a tour of virality and controversy, touching on themes of masculinity and performance. These motifs were still very much on show on Sunday, however frontman Matty Healy finds himself more earnest and emotional in the biggest headline show of their career.
The gig was due to start at 7:20pm, due to an early curfew – yet the show starts 5 minutes prior. Dressed in a lab coat and armed with a megaphone, Healy helps the crew set the stage – a house built for a 90s sitcom. After calling the band to the stage and changing into a suit, the set kicks off with opening song The 1975 (from latest record Being Funny In A Foreign Language).
The last twelve months have seen a plethora of controversies surround the band, and particularly their live shows. Most namely Matty Healy going into the crowd to kiss fans, Matty Healy performing a nazi salute during politically conscious Love It If We Made It, or Matty Healy doing practically anything to subvert expectations. Of course, it doesn’t always land but seven songs into their set it becomes obvious that the occasion will be one marked by appreciation, and not controversy.
Before (aptly) playing I’m In Love With You, Healy brushes upon how the first act of the show is meant to explain the ‘crisis of masculinity’, yet he interrupts this idea – questioning himself and the audience. ‘Who gives a fuck? This is too much fun!’ After a stripped back version of the singer’s favourite track Paris, he introduces his dad Tim to sing All I Need To Hear, giving time for Healy to have a moment and compose himself. ‘I’m feeling quite emotional. I need to man up’ he says, prompting a series of boos from the audience – the topic of masculinity as prevalant as ever. Healy plays down this statement by saying ‘It’s good, because I’ve got my dad’. In this context, ‘manning up’ comes across more heartfelt than toxic. ‘I’m so nervous’ he whispers to his old man.
A gig this momentous needs to shake it up for the frequent punters – Love Me, The Ballad Of Me And My Brain, People and Medicine all get a sporadic runout. The latter makes for the most notable addition, as Healy waves over a cameraman to focus on a newly engaged couple in the front row. With emotions running high, the band move into About You featuring Carly Holt-Hann on additional vocals (wife to guitarist Adam Hann), who embraces the singer whilst watching the performance on one of many vintage TVs that set the stage.
Following a run of hits, Healy paves the way for the finale of anthems with Guys – one of the most heartfelt ’75 tracks dedicated to the singer’s bandmates and best friends. The set is concluded by three of the heaviest hitting songs in the group’s discography. Sex, Give Yourself a Try and People close out the music, just before the final act of performance. Healy tucks into a raw steak (again) before the crowd counts his push-ups in front of controversial public figures on the aforementioned TVs. After falling just short of 30, the frontman clambers into one of the screens, engulfed in smoke. This ‘Consumption’ part of the set seemingly concludes an era of the band, before they come back out to bow to the audience whilst the screens tease what’s next to come for the Manchester collective. The 1975 Still… At Their Very Best.
The 1975 played:
Being Funny In A Foreign Language
The 1975 (Being Funny In A Foreign Language)
Looking for Somebody (to Love)
Happiness
Love Me
Part of the Band
Oh Caroline
I’m in Love With You
Paris
All I Need to Hear
Be My Mistake
At Their Very Best
If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)
The Ballad of Me and My Brain
Medicine
About You
Somebody Else
A Change of Heart
The Sound
It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)
fallingforyou
Guys
I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)
An Encounter
Robbers
I Like America & America Likes Me (‘Real World’ version)
The Man Who Married a Robot/Love Theme
Love It If We Made It
Sex
Give Yourself a Try
People
Words by Jonah Osborne