The 1975 @ Aware Super Theatre Sydney
The 1975 live at Aware Super Theatre Sydney - An Unexpected Performance Of An Intimate Moment
Review by Natasha Christian Photos by Jordan Curtis Hughes
Unexpected.
If I had to choose one word to describe The 1975 live, that’s what I’d go with.
After the four piece took the stage at Sydney’s Aware Super Theatre for the At Their Very Best tour, I had more questions than answers.
“Why are there so many goths here?” … “Didn’t we ban smoking inside in 2006?” … “Why does the set look like a house?” … “What’s in Matty Healy’s flask?” … “Are they really at their best?”.
The band's Dirty Hit label mate Wallice got us started. The indie popper delivers a mix of songs peppered with dark humour from Michael (American Psycho) to Punching Bag and Funeral. Nothing tells a band you’re into them like sticking your phone light in the air. The crowd quickly gets into the groove, swaying their arms and wanting more as Wallice teased she’ll be back for a headline show later this year.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many fabulously dressed millennial goths waiting to see a band since Nine Inch Nails last toured here. Healy welcomes us from backstage as Elvis classic Love Me Tender opens the show. Something I love about The 1975 is they’re not ashamed to wear their musical influences on their sleeves.
Traces of Talking Heads is all over the house themed set and their deep appreciation for keys and percussion. There’s also nods to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in the suit and tie photoshoots and a bit of Michael Hutchence in how Healy moves and charms his audience. And we can’t forget the anarchistic attitude that only comes from Manchester bands like The Smiths and Oasis. By the time Healy starts singing Be My Mistake, nearly every person in the audience is standing - and most stay that way for the rest of the show.
The warm and cozy vibe of the stage, designed like the 70s style sitting room, somehow makes the sold out Super Theatre feel small and intimate. At one point, I saw a woman kick off her shoes and get pretty damn comfortable. The truth is, this is a small venue for a band this big. Tickets to the Sydney show sold so fast the band quickly announced a second one at Qudos Bank Arena. The cozy vibe quickly shifts to a house party once the rest of the band takes the stage -guitarist Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald on bass and drummer George Daniel. The party truly starts with Being Funny In A Foreign Language bops Looking For Somebody (To Love) and Oh Caroline. Healy’s charismatic stage presence and Hutchence-esque moves were in fine form. However his chain smoking and drinking wine on stage does raise concerns whether the band is genuinely At Their Very Best.
I’m not sure if it’s a conscious choice to play up the rockstar antics or if it’s a way to get through some of the more vulnerable songs like I’m In Love With You and About You. Either way I wonder how many people left The 1975 show wanting a smoke and a wine. Healy has publicly expressed his desire to be a nicer person. He even went as a far to declare “the era of me being a fucking arsehole is coming to an end”. If that’s true he should consider improving this part of the show, as glamourising addictive substances isn’t being nice to his fans.
Despite this, The 1975 deliver a captivating live performance, with a strong mix of songs that has the audience on their feet most of the show. One highlight was the inclusion of 80s-style saxophone solos, which added a fresh dimension to their sound.
The band closed out the set with powerful songs that directly addressed Healy’s addiction and showcased his emotional vulnerability - It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You) and I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes). His charisma was out in full form for If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know) and She’s American. The crowd burst into laughter when a fan chucked a pair of undies on stage shortly after Healy took his shirt off. A few of the more random moments of the night included Healy asking the crowd to turn around for a “Vanilla Sky” moment, getting us all to sing Backstreet Boys I Want It That Way and his dizzying DIY camera work during Part Of The Band.
An encore would be too cliche for The 1975. Instead they left the audience standing, screaming and cheering with Give Yourself A Try. This is a band who is At Their Very Best, but there’s room to do better.
The 1975 are touring Australia and New Zealand in April, 2023.
