Photos and words by Samantha Skapin

I was lucky enough to be able to catch The 1975 and their infamous lighting on their North American Tour at Kent State University a few weeks ago. Artist 070 Shake also played, opening up the show.

Coming into the show, I was not aware that these guys had an opener but was pleasantly surprised when 070 Shake came out. I had not heard of her before, but I left the show a fan. A DJ had opened the show playing a few songs before he introduced 070 Shake, who came out in sunglasses and a hoodie. I wasn’t sure at first what genre her sound would be, but it turned out to be hip-hop and almost reminded me of something similar to FKA Twigs. She brought a lot of energy to the stage playing her most popular songs, such as “Honey“, “Trust Nobody“, and “Make It There”. She definitely has a unique sound and it made me want to listen to her again once I got home from the show, so definitely check her music out!

Next up was what the crowded basketball arena was waiting for, The 1975. These guys have grown IMMENSELY from their 2013 self titled release, gaining a lot of popularity with their hit songs “Chocolate” and “Sex”. They even turned a 180 with their sound with their latest album,  I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet Unaware Of It, and it was a hit. Being a fan of these guys for quite some time, I was excited for the chance to finally see them play live, as I’ve heard nothing but good things about their live performances. The crowd held their phone flashlights up to beckon the band to the stage, and as the lights slowly dimmed more and more, a single square light lit up signaling the start of the show and the crowd cheered. The band came out and went into their intro “The 1975” off of their newest album, and straight into “Love Me“. Everything I’ve heard about these guys playing live was completely true. The lights and production were fantastic on their own and it was almost like watching an art show. Vocalist Matty Healy sounded great live and was super charismatic the entire show and it was a treat to watch him interact with the fans. He even had a rant about Donald Trump between songs while holding his infamous wine glass and smoking a cigarette. A lot of the set was songs off of I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet Unaware Of It, but they were sure to include songs off of their first album like “M.O.N.E.Y.” and “Girls“. Looking around in the crowd, it was great to see everyone singing along and having such a great time watching these guys because they truly deserve it. They closed out their set with one of their hits, “The Sound“, and the energy was insane in the arena. The 1975 definitely put on one of the best shows (and productions) I have had the pleasure of attending, so if you get the chance to see them, DO NOT miss it.