The 1975 prove to be ‘At Their Very Best’ in Vegas

As promised, The 1975 delivered their “very best” performance as their first leg of the “At Their Very Best” tour swung by The Theater at Virgin Hotels on Nov. 25.

The English band announced their North American tour on Aug. 23, less than two months before their latest album “Being Funny in a Foreign Language” was released.

The concert, opened by labelmates BLACKSTARKIDS, was looked forward to for ages as their previous tour, opened by acts like Phoebe Bridgers and beabadoobee, was stopped short before even beginning due to the pandemic. Their cult following is thanks to lead singer Matty Healy’s sometimes controversial lyricism and commentary on today’s culture, as well as the band’s experimental, alternative sound.

Shortly after the opener, the royal blue curtain with “The 1975” projected upon it revealed the stage set up to be something akin to a house in a play. Members of the band one by one opened doors and flickered on lamps scattered around the stage; Healy was sprawled across the couch as his bandmates “woke him up.”

After grabbing a cigarette and a flask, he set started with their introduction to their latest album, with striking piano keys and an instrumental borrowed from LCD Soundsystem’s “All My Friends.”

Without skipping a beat, songs from their new album played one after another, and fans matched their pace despite their album not even being more than a month old.

The songs sounded nearly exactly the same as the album: a fresh sound for the band, although the sound was grounded in a less electronic and more technical sound with help from famed music producer Jack Antonoff. 

The first song they performed that was not off of their latest album, “fallingforyou,” struck an emotional chord within the audience, with the further slowing tone within the theater until the powerful bridge.

Healy proceeded to the top of a roof for “I Like America and America Likes Me,” a power ballad delivering a message of his view of gun violence as well as fame. 

As the last two songs were finishing off, members of the band walked offstage, shutting lights behind them.

And then, silence.

Until a slightly drunken Healy walked back onto the stage, flickering on one big light switch that lit up the entire set. 

The second half of the set began with the band acknowledging the crowd, ending their act brought on by the first half, and a much lighter mood. 

Fans were ecstatic and far more engaged as the familiar hits were performed, singing and screaming along to each.

Then the fan favorite “Robbers” began, and a fan was brought on stage to sit on the couch. Fans cheered and raved as the song progressed, and before the bridge, Healy kissed the fan, mirroring the song’s music video, until she was brought back to the barricade.

Even though the audience was all living in a moment that was sure to be raved about on Twitter momentarily, as an event like that hasn’t occurred in years for the band, the scream-singing along to the rest of the song continued with even more passion.

The energy continued and peaked during the social anthem “Love It If We Made It,” a commentary on the state of society with a hopeful and upbeat sentiment although “modernity has failed us.”

The band’s biggest hit “The Sound” followed right behind, giving a lighter mood as everyone danced and sang along to a more simple and playful number.

The concert closed out with “Give Yourself a Try,” which self-explanatorily told the audience to give themselves a try despite the conditions of humanity discussed throughout the concert. 

As the members went wild on stage, Healy turning to spit on one of the cameras and then wiping it off, the fans reveled in the last moments of the show.

Each member exited the stage as they did previously, and the lead singer shut off the large light switch before following them. 

And with that, the audience soaked in the final moments of what some have been waiting in line for since 6 a.m. the day of the concert for: a brilliant, intricate, and expressive show from The 1975 at their very best.