(Review by Liza Wilson)
The 1975 returned to the midwest to perform in Greater Cincinnati for the first time in over three years. The show sold out shortly after tickets went on sale, with resale prices going for as high as $600.
It is typical for the 1975 shows to feature an intricate set, which typically includes their iconic neon rectangle and other special LED features. But, the set for this particular show strayed away from the typical look of their previous stages. The show, being about a week before Christmas, featured a 1950s/1960s inspired Christmas themed set. There were stockings hung above the fireplace, as well as a Christmas tree in the corner. Lead singer Matt Healy even took time to sing a snippet of a Christmas song and wished the audience a merry Christmas.
The setlist was divided into two parts. The first half primarily featured their 2022 album Being Funny in a Foreign Language and then the greatest hits that spanned all of their discography. Despite the first half being essentially their first album, the band still threw in a couple throwbacks such as “Fallingforyou” and the tour debut of “Sincerity is Scary.” The latter was greatly appreciated by the crowd. Matty even wore the iconic bunny hat from the music video. The hat was then tossed into the crowd and caught by one lucky fan.
Not only did The 1975 put on an amazing musical performance, their frontman, Matty Healy, spoke to the audience a lot. It is no secret that he has quickly turned into a Tik Tok sensation; multiple videos of Healy have gone viral since the tour started. Healy even opened up about that throughout the show, stating that he is ” a lot more famous now than when the tour started.” He told the audience that he was grateful for that, but it also caused him to have a few panic attacks. Healy never refrains from getting personal with his fans and the audience.
The production was no short of incredible. The 1975 is always able to effectively communicate their messages and concepts throughout their shows. Whether it is musically, through a set, or even through the front man being tattooed live on stage. This 15-minute interlude took place between the first and second half of the show and acted as a transition to the greatest hits. This interlude featured Healy getting “I’m a Man” tattooed on his upper chest. Tattoo completed, he crawled through one of the TVs on the set, and that began the second half of the show.
The band then played a selection of their greatest hits, ranging from their debut album, their sophomore 2016 album, all the way to some of their more recent works. The 1975’s discography isn’t small, therefore, Healy enacted an audience vote to choose between two songs from their sophomore album, I like It When You Sleep for You are so Beautiful Yet so Unaware of It. The choices were “Paris” or “Change of Heart.” Healy then had the audience cheer for whichever one they wanted to hear the most. What won for this show was “Paris.” While the vote involved the crowd, another memorable moment of audience involvement was when Healy invited a fan up onstage to get tattooed during “Robbers.”
The 1975 never disappoint when it comes to their live shows and concerts. They’re always putting together unique sets and experiences for each fan who attends. Not one of their concerts is the same experience. Although, the only thing we at Pop Culture Beast wish for is for the “The City” to be included in at least one setlist.
PF Wilson has been writing about music, TV, radio, and movies for over 20 years. He has also written about sports, business, and politics with his work appearing in Cincinnati CityBeat, The Houston Press, Cleveland Scene, Cincinnati Magazine, Cincy Magazine, Atomic Ranch, and many more. Check out his podcast PF’s Tape Recorder available from Podbean or in iTunes.