Whether you’re a fan of the band’s newest album, Being Funny in a Foreign Language, or you’re one of the many individuals who were deeply offended by rumors of Matty Healy (The 1975’s lead singer) and Taylor Swift dating — The 1975 have been a hot topic lately.
After being blown away at their Atlanta, Georgia show last year, when I heard the band was doing another leg of tour and coming to Florida, it was game over. Having secured pit tickets, I arrived outside Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida at 3:15 a.m. I was No. 85 in the line and ready to secure my view for the concert.
I was equally, if not more, excited for this show than I was when I saw The 1975 live for the first time last year — and my intuition was spot on. I can confidently say second is most definitely best when it comes to The 1975 concerts.
The band opened with three songs from their newest album, Being Funny in a Foreign Language: “The 1975,” “Looking for Somebody (To Love),” and “Happiness.” These songs were pretty predictable as the band has consistently played them so far this leg of the tour, but I was still excited. These three songs started the concert off with some upbeat tunes and got the entire pit dancing, shouting, and swaying.
Next, to my surprise, The 1975 played “Sincerity is Scary,” a song I was crossing my fingers for, but was definitely not expecting to hear. This song was released in 2018 on the album A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships, and the band has been playing it at only a few concerts. This song is one of my personal favorites because of its catchy lyrics and jazzy feel, emphasized by a saxophone solo. Once I heard this song play, I had a feeling the band had a few good surprises in store for us, and I was right.
“Oh Caroline” started up next, leading into “I’m in Love With You,” two songs off of Being Funny in a Foreign Language. Both of these songs have a catchy and fast-paced beat that you just have to sing along to.
“I’m in Love With You” was followed by the song “A Change of Heart.” Now, don’t get me wrong, I love “A Change of Heart,” but I was secretly hoping they would play their song “Paris” instead. The band typically switches between these songs and only plays one or the other at each show. Having heard “A Change of Heart” at the Atlanta show I attended last year, I was admittedly rooting for “Paris.”
After dancing off the slight disappointment to the mellow electronic sound, The 1975 played their fan-favorite song “Robbers.” The lights dimmed and even from the barricade it was hard to make out the band members. The shadows moved across the stage backed by a bright white light, creating a truly unique ambiance.
Following this, Healy ran out of the prop door located at the back of the stage. The next thing I knew he was on top of the “roof” of the band’s set, made to look like a house. Healy sang “Bagsy Not In Net” from the top of the roof, filling the room with the song’s funky electronic sound.
Next, once Healy returned to the ground, was another song from the album Notes on a Conditional Form called “Then Because She Goes.” This was another song I would have never expected to hear live, but I’m glad I got the pleasure. The 1975 then returned to Being Funny in a Foreign Language, playing “About You” and “When We Are Together,” rounding out the first half of the show with a mellow vibe.
Starting off the second half, Healy moved to the grassy B-stage located at the back of the pit. After laying down next to a life-sized doll of himself, a typical one of Healy’s unconventional skits, Healy played an acoustic version of “Be My Mistake.”
After Healy returned to the regular stage, the band’s antics continued on. They played their song “TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME” followed by “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know),” two of the band’s more energetic songs. After dancing my heart out to these two songs, the band surprised me again. “Heart Out,” a song from the band’s first album, The 1975, started playing. I was again surprised the set list had another song that was on my bucket list to hear live.
Up next were “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)” and “Me & You Together Song,” continuing with the upbeat melodies. These were two songs I had heard the band play last year, but I was just as ready to hear them play these two again!
The band then slowed down the tempo slightly, playing a snippet of an acoustic version of their song “Guys.” This was followed by “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes),” another one of the band’s heartbreaking songs.
Starting back up with the faster-paced songs, The 1975 transitioned into their biggest hits. Starting off strong with “I’d Love It If We Made It” and followed by “The Sound,” the arena was echoing with voices shouting the lyrics back at the band. Next, the band played arguably their most popular song, “Somebody Else.” This song’s slower chorus and verses packed with cheeky lyrics, justify its popularity.
The band continued on with their more popular songs, playing “Sex” and “Give Yourself a Try.” These songs have a strong emphasis on guitar riffs and got the entire audience up and dancing.
Finally, Healy moved back to the B-stage to play the band’s last song of the night. Healy alongside band members Ross MacDonald and Adam Hann played “People” from the B-stage. This song has a bit of a heavy metal feel, differentiating it from the rest of the band’s discography.
All and all, I am — somehow — still finding ways to become a bigger and bigger The 1975 fan, and I’m not mad about it! Having seen them live for a second time, I can vouch that I will, hopefully, be returning for a third concert!
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