There’s been something in the air about the arrival of The 1975. The band, led by Matty Healy, have arrived in Australia with a level of hype on TikTok and other social media that only Harry Styles can really match. 

The 1975 fandom is completely obsessive, but that’s a good thing. It means that they bring an energy which can lift any performance and that’s certainly what happened at the Aware Super Theatre last night. The crowd brought it and the band brought it too. 

The show started backstage, with cameras following Healy out onto the stage. The first song was him alone, standing with an acoustic guitar to perform “Be My Mistake”. It was an exquisite start to the show with the beauty of Healy’s voice shining through. It was a reminder that behind the rock-n-roll and the hype that seems to surround The 1975, their frontman possesses an extraordinary amount of talent. 

The tender song was interspersed with comic moments as Healy could not get through the song without laughing. 

“You changed all the words on my setlist to rude words,” he said, gesturing to his band through fits of laughter from the audience.

He later told the audience that every word on the setlist had been changed to a particular swear word, making it all a bit confusing for him. He revealed that behind the light-heartedness was apparently a more serious motivation as the band had been “trying to cheer [him] up” after he had been “going through a bit.”

If Healy wasn’t feeling at his best, he certainly didn’t show it, putting on a performance worthy of only the most consummate professional. As the band joined him on the stage for the rest of the setlist, they roared into their typical ‘1975’ sound. They launched into “Looking for Somebody (to Love)” with ruthless energy, before moving through a flurry of hits. 

Healy has a natural presence that makes crowds fall in love with him and it was easy to see why. As he moved around the stage, he had the audience under complete control as they moved and felt every beat with him. He made it look as though he wasn’t taking himself too seriously, as if everything was just too easy. 

At one point, he even sat down and lit a cigarette on stage. Yet, underneath the act, was incredible musicianship that only comes about after decades of practice. The art of a top performer is making something that is incredibly difficult look easy and Healy nailed that. 

The band was also incredibly tight, which Healy was quick to praise (“there’s not enough good bands around”). Special mention must go to the saxophonist, John Waugh, who dazzled the crowd with his stunning solos. It was the band’s performances that made the show absolute magic. 

Healy’s vocals were strong and powerful throughout, showing particular depth on “I’m in Love With You.” As the band launched into their biggest hits, the energy went up a notch. The screams were so loud in “If You’re Too Shy” that sometimes the band couldn’t even be heard. 

Towards the end of the set, Healy got the crowd jumping up and down in perfect unison, which was a pretty incredible sight in a 9,000 seat stadium. Incredibly, he also had the charisma to ask the whole crowd to turn around so he could get a photo of everyone’s backs. It was a bit strange, but the crowd all obliged. Such was the level of love and goodwill that the band had developed over the show and over their careers. 

By the end of the show, it became easy to see why The 1975 have become loved by so many. Healy’s affable nature along with a band that doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously yet produces incredibly tight and catchy music are the perfect combination for a successful act. But even with all the theatrics (including some incredible camerawork throughout the show), the music was the real stand-out for this band. While a 2-hour set with very little break would prove too much for most bands, The 1975 did it almost effortlessly and did not lose energy for a second.

It would be easy for a band at the peak of their careers to rest on their laurels. But if anything, it has only made this band work even harder and it shows. The 1975 nailed this gig and made it abundantly clear why they are one of the hottest bands in the world. This was live music at its barnstorming best. 

The 1975 – Aware Super Theatre, Sydney – 14^th April, 2023

Photo credit: Jordan Curtis Hughes

Rating: ★★★★★