The 1975 @ The Thebby, 10th January ’15
1975! The 1975 juggernaut hit Adelaide in earnest with a sold out show at the infamous Thebarton Theatre.
These lads hailing from Manchester have built a solid reputation largely based on the social media presence and word of mouth playing bigger shows now. Fans (predominantly teenage girls) were waiting at the airport and their hotel trying to catch a glimpse of their idols ahead of the show and still finding plenty of energy and voice to savour every minute of the show.
Also, these lads have put in the hard yards on the road clocking up the most mileage making them the hardest working band in 2014 playing 195 shows in 29 countries travelling some 249,724 kilometres. This is an impressive effort and Adelaide was treated to a top notch show and ultra slick production.
Support band Circa Waves were fantastic! Playing with plenty of energy and gusto these guys had nothing to lose and everything to gain playing to a big crowd who were there early to get the best vantage point. Still a bit wet behind the ears they played a short punchy set of songs off their forthcoming album Young Chasers. There are plenty of hits in the armoury with the likes of Get Away, Good For Me, Young Chasers and Fossils.
There was a real sense of anticipation for The 1975 with the slightest movement on stage or the flicker of lights resulting in screams from the crowd. It was interesting standing back from afar watching all the younger folk having the phones out to capture that piece of souvenir footage which would later frustrate front man Matt Healy who asked several times for fans to put their phones down.
When the band took to the stage amongst a back drop of LED rectangles resembling doors it was on and the screaming was deafening hitting its highest point when Healy strode out with a bottle of wine which accompanied him throughout the show. There was no real surprises if you had been checking out what the band had been playing on tour opening with The City. Milk, M.O.N.E.Y, So Far (It’s Alright ) and She Way Out all bought the house down prompting Healy to say “Jesus, you’re a lively bunch, I can’t even hear myself sing.”
After Pressure Healy encourage fans to put their phones away as “we’re only here for one night, let’s connect, phones away for this song, let me see your faces.” I think he could have said anything to make the crowd scream. With that said the next song was about the front man aptly titled Me. Before the “crowd dies of dehydration” Healy encourage fans to sing-a-long to Fallingforyou.
The 1975’s sound is perfect and their show is slick and well drilled as one would expect from constantly touring. At times the music sounds a little samey but if you’re on to something stick with as they say. As a fourteen year it would be easy to say that this was the best show ever and being a fraction older I was probably expecting a bit more. The first song of the encore offered some contrast giving fans the “chance to chill the fuck out” while Healy played the piano ballad Is There Someone Who Can Watch You.
As far as encores go The 1975 proved they were as good as anyone with a cracker jack treasure trove of gold belted out. Medicine and Robbers (not forgetting Healy’s dislike of seeing the Apple logo) were great but what topped it off brilliantly was Chocolate followed by the big hit Sex. Healy said it would be their last show in Adelaide until the second album where they would come back even more “ridiculous” than ever. That’s a lot of pressure to live up to!
Whether it is rummaging through vinyl at record stores such as Clarity and Title finding hidden gems to scouring the internet to find that album by the next big thing or chasing bands to get that elusive autograph and photo his passion is music all the way.
- Aversions Crown - January 27, 2017
- Sick Of It All - January 19, 2017
- Refused - January 11, 2017
