The 1975 Takeover Pechanga Arena in San Diego: Review

As soon as the clock hit 9:30 p.m. on Thursday (December 5), the Pechanga Arena lights instantly went out and the squeals of adoring fans all throughout the venue began to cause a frenzy as crowds began to rush back to their dimly lit seats. All thanks to the power of The 1975, who made their tour stop in San Diego one for the books.

The brits kicked off their set with their traditional tour opener "The 1975," which they have personally adapted to each album era. While the opening track is a synth vocal tune, gears quickly shifted as the band transitioned to their more rock-influenced tracks "People" and "Give Yourself A Try," which recently earned the four-piece their first Grammy nomination for Best Rock Song.

The 1975 via Twitter

For the first half of the set, Matty Healy & Co. powered through a slew of hits mixed with coveted b-sides that die-hard fans were able to relive all over again. For some, including myself, tracks like "Heart Out," "Robbers," and "Fallingforyou" were an instant flashback to their 2013 self-titled album. For others, recent bonafide hits like "It's Not Living (If It's Not With You" and "Sincerity is Scary" from 2018's A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships were major peaks of the night that kept the audience hyper focused into the performance.

"We just keep getting better and better," lead singer Healy said with smirk on his face before beginning the guitar-driven dance tune "Love Me." As The 1975 transitioned into deeper cuts like "A Change of Heart" and "Paris" from 2016's from I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful but so unaware of it, audience shrieks became louder than ever proving the power of their dynamic sophomore album.

Before beginning the melodic raw truth of "I Like America (And America Likes Me)," Healy prefaced the song with a politically charged message in support of gender-equality:

"We really should ask the right questions always and not judge anyone — any society that doesn't put women at the forefront is not only shameful, but doomed to fail economically and socially!"

After taking time to intimately address the crowd, the band quickly launched into their timeless mega-hits that are uniquely slotted for the very end of the show. While there was no "official" encore, Healy led the band into bops like "Somebody Else," "Girls," and even the breezy Oasis-influenced track "I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)" before diving into their classic show-closing hits.

The 1975 via Twitter

The unison in the audience reflected the mutually beneficial relationship between The 1975 and their fans, a genuine connection rarely seen between artist and fan in 2019. Many artists have an easy relationship with their fans thanks to social media, but Healy keeps his relationship with fans at the forefront of his priorities.

"Let's take it back to a simpler time," Healy stated before powering through the holy trifecta of their speaker-breaking singles: "Chocolate," "Sex," before concluding with "The Sound." Just before the guitar-bending bridge toward the end of the song, every person around the arena jumped and jived to the beat on Healy's command without hesitation.

No one left the show without sore feet, beads of sweat rolling off their bodies, or in my case, a mind-blown.

Curious to see what other songs were performed? Check out The 1975's full setlist from Pechanga Arena in San Diego:

The 1975's Setlist

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Last updated: 29 Mar 2024, 11:57 Etc/UTC