‘The 1975’ give the show of a lifetime

By Lulu Clemmons

The lights go out, the music starts and suddenly, the night you’ve been anticipating is finally here. The band performing is The 1975 inside the Hard Rock at the The Joint, and they will put on a show that is worth any wait.

When The 1975 first announced the tour dates for their third album, “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships,” it was genuinely shocking to see an artist coming to Las Vegas, as many artists tend to avoid it. Tickets went on sale for this event in October, and the price for a general admission “pit” (an area that is only standing room and has no seats) were $60 including tax, which is a fairly cheap price for a concert ticket. Months passed and finally, on April 16, the day of the show had arrived.

After entering the Hard Rock, it was a short walk to the actual venue inside the casino. Upon entering The Joint, a very unconventional and annoying layout to the line for access to the main area awaited the eager crowd. Beginning in the middle of the room, you then made your way to the side where the entrance was, turned around, walked to the other side of the large room, turned around again and then walked back to the side where the entrance was and actually got in. It seemed unnecessary, but getting past security and ticket checking was easy enough.

The standing room part of the ticket stood true to its name as the entire floor had nowhere to sit. There was also nowhere to go once you were submerged into the sea of people, but in Vegas fashion, a full-service bar was in the back that somehow people were able to get to and from easily enough. Already packed with a mix of excited teenagers and twenty-something-year-olds, an attempt to get closer to the stage from the side failed as the view became obstructed by the big and bulky stage. Though it seemed impossible to reach, directly in front of the stage is always the best place to stand. Once situated, the opening groups “No Rome” and “Pale Waves”  (who were both equally good but unfamiliar to some of the audience, making it slightly harder for them to connect with the crowd) performed and helped warm up the crowd. Afterwards, there was a long break between the two openers and the actual headliner.

Not soon enough, ‘The 1975’ finally took the stage. As the venue lights dimmed, the screen lit up almost immediately, and the tune of ‘The 1975’ (a song used in all their other albums to set the tone for the whole album) began to play. The band members entered the stage in the order, George Daniel (drums), Adam Hann (electric guitar), Ross MacDonald (bass guitar) and Matthew “Matty” Healy (lead vocals).

All around the venue, excited screams filled the air, and in a sudden rush, the crowd moved up about five feet, as people in the front were trying to get as close as they could to the stage. Bodies were shoved up against one another; there was not even enough room to move your arms. The energy level went instantly higher in the room as they started their performance of “Give Yourself A Try.”

The band continued with the songs, “TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME” and “She’s American.” Next was a bittersweet, quick set change from what was supposed to be a performance of their song off of their second album titled, “Loving Someone” that was changed last minute on stage by Healy to one of their earliest released songs, “Undo.” The night continued with a medley of songs from all three of their albums (their self-titled first album and “I Like It When You Sleep For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It”) and a performance of their song “Narcissist” (which is in collaboration with the opener “No Rome”). Amidst the show, a cheeky Healy hit the “woah” causing an uproar of applause, and the atmosphere continued to grow, but sadly, it was time for the encore. Not even five minutes after, the band came back out on stage to close out the show with some of their most popular songs, “Love It If We Made It,” “Chocolate” and “The Sound.”

After a quick, yet sad goodbye to the crowd, the band left the stage, and the night was over. All in all, this show was one that will never be forgotten. Although it was an amazing concert, the The Joint itself nearly ruined the experience with its weird lines, cramped venue space and the crowd that was shoved up together with little room to move.

Even though the sardine-packed crowd became very uncomfortable at times, the crowdedness created this energy that made you know everyone was there to enjoy the music and feel more connected through a common interest. Healy himself added to this energy all throughout the show with his outstanding stage presence, great crowd interaction skills and his real, raw voice that made the wonderfully written songs have so much more emotion and meaning behind them. The 1975 is a band that consistently can make great music and create amazing shows, and even with the venue problems, it should be one everyone gets to experience at least once in their life.