Newcastle Academy
10th February 2014
The 1975 have been touring the world for over a year and they show no signs of stopping. They have dates scheduled all around the world all the way through the year until Reading and Leeds festivals at the end of August. Clearly there is a huge demand for the Manchester band.
This was definitely the case on the 10th February in Geordie land. There was a mix of ages and people in the audience, but the majority seemed to be teenage girls - every time lead singer Matt Healy moved around the stage or uttered a word, it was met with a chorus of screams from the front of the crowd. But he and The 1975 have a lot more to offer. They burst into life with 'The City'. The strength of Healy's voice is immediately clear and it compliments their soft electro sound perfectly. They fly through tracks from their album: 'M.O.N.E.Y', 'Talk!', 'She Way Out', performing like a well-oiled machine, only stopping to interact with the crowd about the usual topics. They have also clearly thought about the production of their live shows. Although it's easy to pull off the monochrome look, the lighting was well thought out, and linked to their album artwork, providing a clear theme.
Then you get to the meat of the setlist, album favourites like 'Settle Down', 'Heart Out' and 'Pressure' - their 70s influence is clear here. A particular favourite moment was the saxophonist joining them for the solo in 'Heart Out', which gave the song some added character. Their songs maybe about teenage angst, young love and getting drunk or stoned, but they know what they are doing when it comes to performing live, with Healy waving his outrageous hair around like some kind of tropical bird showing off it's colourful plumage, and all members dressed in black, brooding in the background.
They finish on a high with the poppy 'Girls', the heart felt 'Robbers' and the hits that set them out on this massive adventure 'Chocolate' and 'Sex'. These tracks get under your skin live and you can't help but sing or dance a long to the catchy indie pop melodies that have given such a mix of chart success and critical acclaim.
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