The band were ‘At Their Very Best’ on the first of a two night stay
A SOLD-OUT Cardiff International Arena was treated to a two-and-a-half hour masterclass by one of the most talked about bands in the world right now.
The 1975 have been hot on the lips of music fans following their headline set at Reading and Leeds festival in the summer, but are never far away from the headlines.
Their current tour, where they describe themselves as ‘At Their Very Best’, has already completed a stint in America. Their shows in Cardiff are part of a 14-city tour of the UK – with Cardiff the only city apart from London to be treated to two dates. More than 15,000 fans are expected to see the Manchester four-piece over the two nights.
Fans queued up for more than a day for the concert on Monday, January 16, just to get near the front. However, The Cardiffian arrived at 6.50pm, 20 minutes after the doors to the arena opened, and were able to walk straight to the front without problem.
Charismatic frontman Matty Healy is the star of the show – kissing fans, eating raw meat and downing wine on stage. The crowd lapped up his showmanship as he dived into the band’s discography.
- MORE ON THE 1975: Fans queue for 30 hours in freezing cold to get wristbands
The show was split into two sections. The first was a look into their most recent album, Being Funny in a Foreign Language, a UK No.1 last October. The set burst into life with Looking for Somebody to Love followed by Happiness, Part of the Band and I’m in Love With You. The crowd knew every word.
If the show was a circus, Healy was the ringmaster. “If you write a show about yourself and act in it, is it method acting?” Healy asked the crowd.
A break for the band left Healy alone on stage, classical music providing a background for antics that have made him a viral sensation on social media. A crew member presented him with a large, raw steak which he took a large bite from. He then started doing press ups before disappearing through a mock TV, leaving the arena in a stunned silence.
When the band reappeared, they started their second section, ‘At Their Very Best.’ This was a tour through their biggest hits from their previous four albums.
Healy lauded Wales as “a great country” and said “we always enjoy coming here.” As reward for the Welsh fans, he sang the line that has become synonymous with the tour: “Don’t like menthols.”
Back-to-back hits like Chocolate, It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You) and The Sound whipped the crowd into a frenzy. Even those less familiar with the band’s back catalogue were singing every word and jumping on Healy’s command.
Despite a 25-song set the crowd clamouring for more as the band left the stage, knowing that they really were at their very best.
- The band’s two-night stint in Cardiff continues tonight to another sell-out crowd.
