Despite being a band for ten years, The 1975 still have a distinct youth and originality on their side that gives them an edge above other musicians. In central Glasgow, a city the four boys have played many times before, The 1975 sold out and played a dramatically and effective set that was not only slick, but fresh.
The synergy between the four members of the band, their music and their style resulted in an effortless gig that meant the crowd could enjoy their performance as much as they were on stage. Beginning their set with the electric track ‘The City’, the room erupted into a synced scream that proceeded to sing their lyrics right back at them, “Don’t call it a fight when you know it’s a war, with nothing but your t-shirt on…get in the shower if it all goes wrong”. To have an audience captivated to the point that the band did was nothing short of amazing.
Indeed the quality of the performance by the performers themselves was untouchable. The lead singer, Matthew Healy, said himself that playing as a band was like “having your limbs” they were that coordinated and comfortable on stage as a quartet. Healy’s vocals were flawless, emitting a raw edge full of emotion so that the crowd was living his songs’ stories vicariously through him.
To match the performance, the full lights and sound set was worthy of praise in itself and executed to the highest level. The coordination and style that draws The 1975 together as a whole proved more than impressive. There is always something timeless about black and white, as though the band themselves have nothing to hide in their music. With a whole array of subtle contradictions, the contrasts don’t stop at the colour scheme – The 1975 have a set and a stage presence that is both humble yet commanding. Some would call it blunt and others would call it honest, but their essence has something about it that everyone can relate to and enjoy and with an audience as vibrant as Glasgow’s, The 1975’s gig was a gem.