GIG REVIEW: The 1975 - Brixton Academy, 11th January

for fans of: Lorde, The Neighborhood, HAIM, alt-J, Michael Jackson

(photo creds to some girl off insta i don't remember your name oop sorry x)

My attendance to a series of gigs over the past year and a bit was non-existent due to social nonavailability (yes, I do have friends and family THANK YOU), a worrying lack of funds (I didn't join the baller's society until much later last year), and friends who said "The 1975, who?". However the 11th of January ultimately brought around my belated chance to see one of the most year-defining bands around.

With a number one certified-gold album, various sold-out tour legs across the UK, Europe, Japan, and Stateside, a support slot for the motherfucking Rolling Stones, and three top 40 singles under their belt, it's safe to say The 1975 essentially shat all over the other acts in their way. They exploded onto the elusive indie-pop-rock scene to knockout the competition as, arguably, the biggest British breakthrough band of the year (hit-wise you could say it would go to Bastille but, let's face it, does anyone really want to hear Pompeii ever again?).

Their 3rd night sold-out night at the world renowned Brixton Academy really started 2014 off with a bang - for me personally, but obviously especially for the Manchester quartet who are set to tour extensively over the next 12 months including a life changing stint at the Royal Albert Hall in April.

Support came first from the extremely fitting Wild Cub, an exciting new band to UK shores hailing from Nashville, TN. Next up were London based Wolf Alice; think if Taylor Swift's sound (mostly because lead singer Ellie Rowsell is her doppelganger) went proper rock and roll and teamed up with three male extras from '10 Things I Hate About You'. But the real show began as the lights went down, the smoke came up, and the crowd held their breath at one fell swoop.

The 1975's show was visually a spectacular one. You want lazers? They got lazers. You want enough smoke to choke an asthmatic? They got it. You want a dazzling burlesque of those patented squares of light? They got those squares of light. All the ingredients manifested a divine background for lead singer Matty Healy to bounce around in front of and be enigmatically silhouetted behind. Clad in scruffy *Soulja Boy voice* all black everything, he long ago established himself as the coolest and freshest frontman in rock today (and also as the sexiest man alive but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯).

And, of course, everything auditory was completely on point. Through his blatant drunkness (hellooooooo, that bottle of wine was difficult to miss) Matty glossily managed to croon the lyrics with an aerial amount of heart to make the audience feel every word. The emotion was at it's peak in the soul-shattering 'Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You' (the Dream Koala Remix hurts me) and 'Me' in all of its sublime melancholy. He exhibits a rare amount of charisma, lacking in most of the leading indie bands of the moment, in each flop of that opulent head of hair. His vitality for life is nothing less than magnificent.

The most disappointing thing about the band is just how underrated the other members are. Take Ross MacDonald for example. His bass playing abilities are absolutely essential to the groups twisted R&B aesthetic, and his effortless transition to synth pads, with the help of Adam Hann's stuttery guitar, reinvent 'M.O.N.E.Y.' as a shiny new classic. And just to add, the facial expressions of drummer George Daniel are indubiously priceless; a show within itself.

Despite all the fans's attentions being thrusted upon Matty, the entire band's passion for their fans is a stand alone beauty. Although the crowd was littered with annoyingly awful screaming pre-adolescent fangirls, the reversed passion is still evident throughout the audience. The amount of gratitude exuding from them as they perform the "biggest nights of their life" is entrancingly dynamic. One of the most special moments of the show is Matty appearing on the upper tier, a section of venues that usually misses out on the intimate connection with the artist, and adorably shouting "I'M UP HERE!" as he performs fan-favourite 'Menswear', swanning in and out of the adoring fans, even stopping to take a few "selfies" (my least favourite word ever) with some incredibly lucky individuals.

(i take the worst photos don't i)

To pick a highlight from the positively flawless set list (every album track plus 'Milk', 'You', the futuristic 'So Far (It's Alright), 'Me', 'fallingforyou', and the utterly electric 'Head.Cars.Bending') would be pointless as even the songs from the LP that felt a little bit like duds were injected with just the right amount of fervor. I am still finding myself watching videos from that night again, and again, and again if only to relive a small amount of it. The wildness of the crowd in The 1975's iconic hits like 'Sex' and 'Chocolate' were indescribable as the atmosphere and the sound got lost among the sweaty bodies (and trust me, there were a fair few of them). These contrasted magnificently with the ingenious live saxophone appearance in 'Pressure' and my personal favourite 'Heart Out' as well as the collective crowd excitement of 'Girls'.

Their biggest task of 2014 will be not to fade away and become forgotten with the rest of the indie carcasses (The Hoosiers, anyone? The Pigeon Detectives? And what on Earth happened to The Kooks?!). But maybe this won't be too much of a trying challenge as they were one of the most resplendent live acts I've had the pleasure to see, and I can't wait to see what they'll offer up next.

READ THE ORIGINAL ACCIOMIXTAPE ALBUM REVIEW

I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND PURCHASING TICKETS TO ANY OF THE 1975'S DATES YOU COULD POSSIBLY ATTEND AS YOU ARE IN FOR A TREAT MY FRIENDS