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The 1975 fill the Armory with theatrics and love

December 15, 2022

The 1975 performed at the Armory in Minneapolis on Wednesday, December 14, 2022.Jordan Curtis Hughes for The 1975

“The thing about us, ladies and gentlemen, is we just keep getting better,” Matty Healy said midway through the 1975’s Wednesday night performance at the Armory. The band promised a lot leading up to their 2022 tour, dubbed, “At Their Very Best.” The performance showcased their most recent sounds while embracing their beloved roots, and lived up to the self-confident tour title.

Before Healy proved that there isn’t anything he can’t do onstage, Minneapolis’ own Miloe calmly walked out to grace the crowd with his breezy, summer-time vibes. Before the pandemic, people in the Twin Cities had to trudge down creaky stairs and avoid hitting their heads on the ceiling to see Bobby Kabeya, who performs as Miloe, play under a rope of LED lights in college basements. Last night, spotlights beamed down from the high rafters as he stood solo with his guitar in front of the sold-out Armory. When Kabeya woke up in the morning, he didn’t know he would be opening the show, but a surprising twist of events led to a phone call. In a British accent, he asked, “Are you ready to see the 1975?” The musician used his carefree spirit to create the coming-of-age film feeling of not taking life too seriously. And if there was anyone who seemed to not be taking life too seriously, it was the star of the headlining band.

The English band walked onstage one at a time — “stage” meaning a set featuring the rooms of a cozy house elaborately furnished with holiday lighting, stockings, and lamps. They opened with “The 1975” (Being Funny in a Foreign Language version), and Healy’s presence channeled the lyrics: “Making an aesthetic out of not doing well.” Sitting at a piano adorned with a E.T. mug and a pack of Camel cigarettes, the singer used one hand to slam the chords, and the other to oscillate between a cigarette and a flask. The smoke-and-sip routine remained most of the night.

The 1975 split their time on stage between the new and the nostalgic. They built the first half of the show around most of the songs from the 2022 release, Being Funny In a Foreign Language. The groovy alternative pop was enough to get the audience singing, but Healy’s mannerisms, like swinging and shaking his legs like Elvis, may have been the most entertaining part.

Healy doesn’t have strict boundaries when it comes to performing in front of thousands of people. A bottle of wine stayed with him throughout the night, like a prop meant to communicate something. He appeared unsteady when walking on stage and said a few unintelligible things between songs. It was difficult to discern how much of his demeanor was actual intoxication versus an intentional act for fans to lust after.

A man kisses a fan in a large crowd — The 1975 performed at the Armory in Minneapolis on Wednesday, December 14, 2022.
Jordan Curtis Hughes for The 1975

Something about his unmistakable persona is captivating, and the singer used this to his advantage when interacting with fans. At one point, he noticed a person in the crowd with a sign that said: “Be my first kiss. I’m 22.” After checking her ID, he hopped to the floor and kissed her multiple times. This was followed by a stage dive during “Love It If We Made It,” and spitting in the direction of someone with “Spit please” written on their phone screen.

What’s more? While a crew assembled a stack of TVs, Healy gave a brief and slightly unclear political comment on the “crisis of masculinity.” “It’s weird being a man right now… I became a woke poster boy of the last decade… All of the power lies with corporations, and they like it when we focus on identity politics.” Referencing the U.K.’s current union strike, he insisted we focus on unionization and wages, which was quickly followed by him doing pushups and crawling through a TV screen. Was he trying to create a physical metaphor for the idea that we are brainwashed by the media we consume? Who knows.

His statements, however, professing love for Minneapolis and music in Minnesota were more direct. Healy called out Prince, the Replacements, and Motion City Soundtrack as inspiring artists.

A few of the most significant people on stage weren’t playing instruments. A skilled camera crew slithered through the elaborate stage set-up to capture the musicians’ actions and project them onto screens on both sides of the stage. No matter where people stood in the venue, they were likely to see cinematic elements at just the right angle — like Healy's eyes staring directly into the lens.

A man holds a microphone out to a large crowd — The 1975 performed at the Armory in Minneapolis on Wednesday, December 14, 2022.
Jordan Curtis Hughes for The 1975

The performance clocked in at almost two and a half hours, which may seem excessive, but it was a thoughtful set structure. The second half of the show was the “greatest hits” act, in which they touched on every era from their indie debut to their current alternative pop stardom. For devout fans, hearing throwbacks like “Sex” and “The Sound” may have evoked memories of their own eras of life that coincided with the releases. Who would get bored when the 1975 barrels through instantaneously catchy hit after hit?

People’s dedication could be observed in their clothing choices. Many wore leather, Dr. Martens loafers, and lacy white collars. A group of people strutted in black-and-white suits and ties to imitate the band’s early aesthetic. The scene resembled a 2013 Tumblr feed.

For those who’ve followed since the beginning, songs from the debut, self-titled album like “Chocolate” may have launched minds back to GIFs on Tumblr of the music video, where the band drives a car through a tunnel. Images of lyrics like, “If you never eat, you'll never grow” embroidered on fabric and tattooed on arms lingered. It was hard to watch Healy stumble in his suit without the memory of scrolling through the app filled with photos of chokers, fishnets, and hands holding cigarettes.

Some may consider the 1975 cheesy with many songs containing sappy lyrical flourishes and vague declarations of love. On “I’m In Love With You,” Healy sings "I'm in love with you” dozens of times, but these words don't descend into triteness when sung in unison with thousands of people. The band’s spell vigorously fends off apathy.

Before removing his shirt as a final hurrah, Healy closed by preaching self-acceptance on “Give Yourself a Try” and singing the advice over and over. Hopefully, we can all affirm that suggestion as we settle into the winter season.

They were entertaining; they were talented; they were The 1975; and they were at their best.

The 1975

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