The 1975
Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA
11.16.14
The 1975: Clouds From Manchester
Fear, love, death, sex, drugs, and hope – the six themes of the night as The 1975 filled the evening with dynamic effects, mysterious bottles, and some of the best damn alternative new wave rock to come out of the UK in a long while. Between people-watching the predominantly teenage crowd and minding an epic light show that preceded the band, once the venue went pitch black, my attention was only concerned about one thing. As The 1975 walked on stage, the noise from the screaming girls miraculously rivaled the rebounding bass sound throughout the venue.
Lead singer Matt Healy walked on stage holding a mysterious bottle that he would later take swigs from throughout the duration of night. Personally, I’m betting that it was red wine, which means we are instant best friends. Grabbing his mic off the stand, they broke out into their opening song, “The City,” and really started off the night. Setting the stage with all they needed: simple white lighting, a black curtain, and their signature white rectangle behind the drummer.
The powerful indie pop songs filled the Paramount Theatre with such a unique and pleasant sound. While rowdy teen fans crammed close to the stage and tossed items (ok, namely cigarettes) up to the band, a more mature crowd gathered further back and took in the show, dancing to their own beat. A “magical witch hat,” so described by our faithful lead singer, also graced the stage to which he proclaimed, “This is so out of context, how hilarious!” This guy is great, and so is an abundance of red wine.
Add smoke, lighting, and a dreamy projection of clouds, and it seemed as if the band was actually preforming in a foggy graveyard or in some hazy mysterious dreamland far from our beloved Seattle. A sea of cell phones and cameras could be seen from the back of the venue as everyone was hoping to capture a unique moment.
In a candid (and tipsy?) moment of sincerity, Healy recognized that fans seeing the 1975 live for the first time have only ever experienced the band before through a TV, computer screen or radio. With that, for just one song, Healy asked that everyone put down their devices and prompted fans to really look into the eyes of the person next to them to truly enjoy the song. Almost everyone put their cell phones down. As soon as the next song began, all bets were off and all cell phones were out. Regardless, The 1975 preformed an excellent show that many will get to relive forever, thanks to Instagram and Facebook. As someone who enjoyed the show tremendously through my own eyes, I’ll always have fond memories of the night I got to see The 1975 live in person.
Review by Allie Leaf
Photos by Logan Westom
