Earlier this month, The 1975 made every DC-based music admirer’s dreams come true. Their show at The Anthem in the heart of DC’s Wharf was nothing short of remarkable and we here at Lucid Magazine are here to tell you all about it.
Excited fans of the band lined up for what seemed like miles with incredible anticipation to see their favorite band in person. With the recent resurgence of Tumblr circa 2014-2016, themes of grunge and nostalgia flooded the sea of people outside the venue. Fans were adorned in leather and denim jackets, fishnet tights, and The 1975 merch, and it is safe to say that the band’s impact on pop culture is nothing short of mesmerizing. Greeting you at the entrance of the venue was a gorgeous array of merch, a crowd favorite being the graphic tee that read, “Your Girlfriend’s Favorite Band.” As the venue filled up to capacity, the eagerness, anticipation, and passion warmed the room.
The night started with Kansas City native band, BLACKSTARKIDS. Their music is a perfect blend of sparkly sounds, rockstar energy, and neon aesthetics that scratch your brain just right. They played songs from their incredible 4-album discography including, “HOW TO SELF DESTRUCT,” “CARDIGAN,” and “PALS.” From their charming stage presence to their irresistibly pretty vocals, their set was everything and more. The crowd danced the night away to BLACKSTARKIDS, but once their set was over, out came a velvety curtain reveal for The 1975’s golden logo. Then, the anticipation continued for the headliner’s dramatic stage reveal.
The 1975: a band this generation’s kids will be talking about one day. Their grand entrance was glamorous with a set design that left everyone in the room’s jaws on the floor. Imagine a cozy jazz influenced mid-century modern living room, life-sized street lamp, ambient lighting, a spiral staircase - all with slight vintage touches. Box TVs with The 1975 visuals on loop, a window that glows with multicolored lights, and a heightened experience through the livestream screen seeing every angle of the show ensuring that there was not a bad seat in the whole venue.
They began the absolutely remarkable show with the intro everyone was waiting for - the self-titled first track on their new record, “Being Funny In A Foreign Language.” The band continued with “Looking For Somebody to Love,” “Happiness,” and “Part of the Band,” all beautiful new tracks from the record. The dreamy set paired with frontman Matty Healy’s performance, personality, and contagious energy was unforgettable.
Matty’s performance art and the artistic direction of this album have taken the band to new levels. A surreal moment of the show was hearing the room scream the chorus to their new song, “About You,” which has taken the internet by storm since its release. Along with their recent releases, old favorites were played and even ten years later are still good as new. Hearing classics like “Robbers,” “Love It If We Made It,” and “Somebody Else” will never get old. In short, this band has a unique talent at creating nostalgic memories by soundtracking so many milestone moments. We speak for everyone when we say they are healing their fans’ inner child one by one. After this The 1975 Washington, DC show, somehow, we are 16 again.
photos courtesy of the 1975
review by lucienne nghiem
