THE 1975 | LIVE REVIEW
Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Sun 23 Feb
What’s not to like about tonight’s headliners at The Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff? In singer Matt Healy, The 1975 have a bona fide rock star and musically, although they insist on being called a pop band, there is something for everybody to enjoy. But what are they like in the live arena? Having never had the pleasure, it’s about time I did and judging by tonight’s audience, 7,500 Welsh people can’t be wrong, can they?
It’s a strong start from the four-piece, as they hit the ground running with the uptempo agitrock of People followed by Sex: two crowdpleasers to kick things off. Come TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME it’s apparent, as the lights go down between every track, that each song has its own concept, played out in a mesmerising series of visuals.
A series of giant TVs create the backdrop for new track If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know), complete with backing dancers and a sax solo to make Tim Cappello weep, before Heafy utilises the scissor lift that Little Mix must have carelessly left hanging about last year. As they belt out Lost My Head the frontman is elevated and swallowed up by the animation as it moves around him. It’s like an A-Ha video come to life.
As it always goes at these concerts, with such energy exerted by both crowd and band, there’s the predictable lull in the proceedings, but the cobwebs are once again blown away when Birthday Cake, Somebody and I Always Wanna Die Sometimes take us to an encore. There’s a hush across the arena as Matt encourages everybody to pay attention the video screen, where a video is played carrying a heavy environmental/climate change message which is met by rapturous – and frankly heartwarming – applause by the Cardiff crowd.
Suitably refreshed, the boys leave the best to last, as do the crowd, with the arena erupting to Love It If We Made It, Chocolate and Give Yourself A Try before leaving us with The Sound. Just when you think that big production arena rock shows are dead, along come The 1975. I’ll be damned if that isn’t one of the best gigs I’ve seen in years.
words CHRIS ANDREWS photos JORDAN HUGHES