The 1975 Live at The 02, London Concert Video Review

So as it stands, it’s not really safe to go to concerts yet at least here in Michigan. Outdoor shows are popping up around the country but I’m personally not comfortable going to that kind of thing just yet at least with the still relatively low vaccination levels. I miss concerts dearly don’t get me wrong, but I personally am still looking for substitutions, at least for now. Tonight I was really in the mood for a concert and so I revisited my all time favorite concert video. That favorite concert video happens to be The 1975 Live at the 02, London. I first watched this video in 2018 during finals week before I saw The 1975 live in person that summer. Now watching this during finals week probably wasn’t the best use of my time, but believe me it was a worthy distraction. Rewatching the video today brought back a lot of the same feelings that I felt watching it for the first time and when I saw them in person, and I’m here today to review this concert video for all of you.

One of the things that I like best about The 1975 is how much of a vibe they are and by that I mean that they have a fantastic aesthetic. This aesthetic is very cohesive across their music and appearance and translates very well to the stage. On their album covers for The 1975 and I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It, you can find an illuminated square which they used as the basis for the sets of this live show as well. The sets are relatively simple but the illuminated squares are very visually appealing. The pastel colors in their visuals feel like a reflection of how the music feels which when used in the sets feels like an extension of who they are. And who can complain about each band member’s different patterned/colored suit? Or Matty Healy drinking a glass of red wine while singing and dancing around on stage? Their visual aesthetic is very vibey much like their music is which does wonders for their live performance in this video.

I know I started by discussing The 1975’s aesthetic (speaking of British band aesthetics, check out my Britpop Aesthetic blog here!) but even more importantly, their music is fantastic and suits a live show very well. First of all, their discography is pretty damn thicc with a wide range that allows them to put on a well rounded live show. Much of their music is both very high energy and emotion inducing which is what you really want from a live show. Even the more chill songs are still packed with emotion. The 1975’s music always makes me want to cry, not because it’s sad, but because there’s SO MUCH EMOTION it’s crazy! In this show, they did a great job of bringing that emotional energy and I’ve gotta say that I think having a live saxophone player helped a lot. Many of their songs have saxophone solos and gosh darn they are so much fun to hear live! For a few songs at the end they also brought on a group of Gospel singers which was such an awesome addition for the live performance.

I also need to talk a bit about their general stage presence. They’re generally pretty chill but Matty Healy can also be hilariously dramatic. At one point in the show, Matty’s cord got stuck and after Chris from the crew helped him get untangled, he gave him a big kiss on the lips. It was adorable! Two people also got engaged in the crowd and they got called on stage, after being complemented by Matty Healy on the song choice of course! More than anything you really feel the love in this show, even when watching through a TV screen.

Well, that’s my pitch. I really love The 1975 and this concert video so I hope you’ll take the time to check it out! Fun and love are the buzzwords for this show if that helps convince you any more. A world with safe live shows is in our future, but for now I hope you’ll join me in enjoying the many great concert videos that our favorite bands have to offer on the internet!