The 1975 sold out the Eagles Ballroom Tuesday, May 16 2017. The UWM Post assigned two readers to the show. We were given two different viewpoints on the show via concert reviews. All photo credits: Allison Hade.
Allison Hade: The 1975 graced the stage with their presence again Tuesday night with a sold-out show at the Eagles Ballroom with support from Colouring and Pale Waves.
The night was flooded with a great light show in true the 1975 fashion with rainbows and cityscapes to accent the great melodic 80’s pop style of music that they are known for. This was my first time going to a show of theirs and It felt as though I was at a beetles concert – the screams from the girls in the crowd were louder than the speakers directly in front of me. Even though it hurt my ears, just to be a part of a group of people that were so directly connected to the music was an amazing experience. I spoke to a group of girls from the barricade – they flew from the U.K to follow the 1975 on a few dates of their tour. First stop was in Pennsylvania, then our Milwaukee show and then finally the show in St. Louis. During my time taking photos I would periodically look back at their reactions to the lights and music and it looked like they were having the time of their lives! It was at this show that I realized that my comparison of the 1975 to the Beetles is not an original thought, because there were a lot of members of the older generations in the crowd. Some of them may have been there as chaperones to their children, but more often than not I saw couples dancing to the music or just adults dancing on their own. This is not to say that they are better than the Beetles, it’s just that they have drawn a very similar “Beetles Mania” feel to their fandom.
The 1975 have seemed to settle into their sound in this Pop-Rock, Alternative, Ethereal Rock music. The music isn’t the kind that would jar you awake in the morning but would be soothing to listen to. The Sound and Loving someone take the cake as the best songs of the night in my opinion. Very smooth and easy to listen to. UGH! Got me dancing along with the rest of the crowd and the lighting on stage just made it seem like a dance party.
If you missed out on the show, here is a Spotify playlist that I made of the songs – maybe you can make it seem like your own private concert!
Madeline Redell:
Manchester based indie-pop band, The 1975, played to a sold out show at the Rave on Tuesday, May 16. Thousands of eager fans packed into the Eagles Ballroom on a balmy 84 degree day to dance and sweat to the group’s sophomore electro/funk influenced album, ‘I like it when you sleep for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it.’ With some fans camping outside of the venue for over three days to be closer to the stage, it’s safe to say that The 1975’s fans are on another level of loyal.
As a 7th time concert veteran of The 1975, I knew what to expect. Frontman Matty Healy effortlessly captures the gaze of the screaming fans in the audience while cockily strutting across the stage among his bandmates George Daniel, Ross MacDonald, and Adam Hann. As many fans could attest to, each show brings a cult-like attitude as the group carries a unique collective vibe with their fans.
The show began with a relatively lack luster start, with openers ‘Colouring’ and ‘Pale Waves.’ Thought the two groups performed well, they fell flat compared to The 1975’s previous openers such as Bad Suns and Wolf Alice.
Amidst the classic low hum of the drone sound leading up to the show, fans screamed in anticipation to catch the first glimpse of the group, though some of the commotion may have been due to the extreme heat in the venue. The 1975 opened with an energetic start, playing hit-80’s pop inspired ‘Love Me.’ After showcasing Hann’s impressive guitar skills and the group’s upbeat dance side, the 1975 effortlessly transitioned into ‘Heart Out,’ a favorite among fans of ‘The 1975,’ the group’s debut album.
The group continued to quickly transition into each song with little interaction from Healy towards the crowd. Fans stayed enthusiastic though, as their vocals often competed with Healy, screaming the lyrics to songs such as ‘Somebody Else’ and ‘She’s American.’ Staple song ‘Loving Someone’ was met with a roaring applause, as the stage lit up with the LGBT flag colors the group has become familiarized with.
The 1975 concluded with their classic three song encore, featuring’ ‘If I Believe You,’ cult-favorite ‘Chocolate,’ and an energetic performance of ‘The Sound.’ Though The 1975 left the crowd wanting more, the setlist fell relatively flat, omitting many of their old favorites such as ‘Menswear’ and ‘You.’ Their performance blended in with previous shows in Milwaukee, staying consistent with their fusion of up-beat dance hits and slower, more emotional tunes.
As expected, from being an extremely toured band, it seemed as if the group was often times concerned with simply finishing the show and getting some rest, which showed throughout the performance. Frankly, you may be better off saving some money and skipping this tour and waiting for their upcoming 2018 album, ‘Music for Cars.’ Though The 1975 may have fell flat for returning fans, there’s no denying that they’re able to put on an entertaining show.
SETLIST:
1. The 1975
2. Love Me
3. Ugh!
4. Heart Out
5. Change of Heart
6. Medicine
7. Robbers
8. Loving Someone
9. She’s American
10. Please Be Naked
11. Lostmyhead
12. Somebody Else
13. Me
14. Fallingforyou
15. Girls
16. Sex
ENCORE:
1. If I Believe You
2. Chocolate
3. The Sound