Black and white screens. Constant swigs from a silver flask. Clouds of cigarette smoke in between lyrics.
The 1975 brought their “Still… At Their Very Best” tour and 2014 Tumblr aesthetics to the Honda Stage at ACL as a Saturday night headliner, singing songs from their newest album, Being Funny in a Foreign Language, and classics from their self-titled debut album.
The band came onstage to fervent screams from passionate fans, all enthusiastic at the opening notes of “Looking For Somebody (To Love).” Lead singer Matty Healy’s eclectic moves held the audience’s attention throughout the set, making for an energetic performance.
In addition to the four founding members (Healy, bassist Ross MacDonald, guitarist Adam Hann and drummer George Daniel), the band performed alongside several percussionists, keyboard players and saxophonist John Waugh. Waugh stole the show several times with long and intricate saxophone solos that incited eruptions of cheers from the impressed crowd.
Healy hardly spoke to the audience in between tracks, a stark contrast from the political rants and controversies that slowly became a staple of the band’s current tour, with videos of Healy’s speeches gaining millions of views on social media.
However, to call the band’s ACL set apolitical would be to ignore The 1975’s very ethos; the opening song, “Looking for Somebody (To Love),” eerily describes gun violence and the pitfalls of modern masculinity over flashy synth pop. Lights flashed from all corners of the stage and every screen while Healy performed “Love It If We Made It,” relaying the urgency of the heavy-handed political imagery in the song. While Healy didn’t break any laws or craft any made-to-go-viral moments, the band stayed true to their political roots with optimistic yet deceivingly sardonic lyrics, offering commentary for those who cared to listen.
The highlight of the night proved to be the three-run track of “About You,” “An Encounter” and “Robbers,” three fan favorites joined together by a stunning, atmospheric interlude. The symphony of every instrument on stage magnified across Zilker Park, enveloping the thousands gathered in an arrangement that felt nothing short of magical. Often compared to coming-of-age movie soundtracks, The 1975’s music sounds like what growing up, young love and all the mistakes that come with it feels like.
The audience met each song with unwavering enthusiasm, jumping, dancing and swaying with the band’s unapologetically energetic pop-rock. Healy asked the audience to indulge him in something “corny:” jumping in unison to “The Sound” in order to combat what he described as a “crisis of individualism.”
Fans happily obliged, jumping to the chorus of the track, creating a contagious and palpable energy. The band finished the show with an eccentric performance of “Give Yourself a Try,” ending the show on a vibrant note. After a spirited set of their most colorful tracks, The 1975 proved to the ACL crowds that, just as promised, they truly are still at their very best.
