Review by Josh Maley
The 1975 is my all time favorite band, so when I saw that they were playing Madison Square Garden I knew I had to get a seat. The venue was full by the time opener BLACKSTARKIDS took the stage. They played a few of their songs, which are a mix of indie rock, pop, and hip-hop, and expressed to the crowd how honored and happy they were to be playing at such a famous venue. They certainly got the crowd hyped, and everyone only got more excited as The 1975 started.
The band had a set on stage that was made to look like a house, complete with bookshelves, windows, and a spiral staircase. This was to match the aesthetic of their new album Being Funny in a Foreign Language, which they played the majority of in the first half of the concert. This start had a very relaxed feel, with singer Matty Healy performing some songs sitting on the couch of the fake house.
After that, they had a sort of intermission including a skit where Healy did things such as breathe through an oxygen tank, do push ups, and take a bite out of a raw steak. This part certainly shocked the audience, as there were gasps heard throughout the crowd. The second half of the concert has much more hype as the band got the whole crowd jumping. They played a lot of hits and crowd favorites, and the setlist seemed to have something for everyone.
The band really showcased their artistic skills on top of their already established musical abilities. They sounded incredible the entire time, and had extra people on stage playing instruments that really amplified. However, I spent the entire concert stunned by how beautiful it was visually. They really played around with interesting lighting, such as during the song “About You,” where the entire stage was backlit by bright white lights, and during “Fallingforyou,” where the only light on stage was coming from the fake street light from the set. Healy performed the song “I Like America and America Likes Me” on top of the roof of the house with lights behind him, making for a beautiful effect.
The band really demonstrated their talents at this show, and I think naming the tour “The 1975: At Their Very Best” is pretty accurate- they really are at their best.
