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The 1975 reunite with Filipino fans at their very best in Manila concerts: "You were the first ones to like us." — gig report

The 1975 reunite with Filipino fans at their very best in Manila concerts: "You were the first ones to like us." — gig report

Estimated:  reading

The 1975 are a band that needs no introduction, especially when you’re in Manila. 

Withstanding the test of time, the British band has grown with us. Right from the era of their debut album, the city has been a part of their journey, playing host to their mall shows in 2014 and their first-ever arena show the next year. 

“The thing with Manila is that you guys kinda have dibs on The 1975, you were the first ones to like us. We were bigger in Manila than we were in the UK,” said the band’s frontman Matty Healy.

So, to no one’s surprise, The 1975 filled out two days at Manila’s SM Mall Of Asia Arena. Presented by PULP Live World, the concerts drew fans by the thousands, decked out in neckties and black boots, to see the Manchester natives at their very best. 

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Even before the show officially started, the excitement of The 1975’s return was evident. The arena was filled with curious murmurs of the setlist, with friends exchanging what songs they’d hope Matty, Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald, and George Daniel would perform. The sporadic guessing game everyone played took a pause when Japanese-American alt-pop singer Wallice took the stage, warming up the crowd with her alluring voice and heartfelt lyrics. With only a handful of songs, the 'Best Friend' singer enchanted the crowd, taking everyone on a ride through the pains and triumphs of early adulthood.

The hushed conversations on the setlist continued in the minutes counting down to the band’s arrival, before everyone erupted into screams and cheers as we see the screen project the band backstage making their way to the stage. 

The 1975 jumped straight into their 25-song-long setlist, beginning with new favourites from their latest album, Being Funny In A Foreign Language like ‘Looking For Somebody (To Love)’, ‘Happiness’, ‘Oh Caroline’, ‘I’m In Love With You’, ‘When We Are Together’, and ‘About You’. 

From there, it was the Wild West as a surprise selection of old hits and classics emerged one by one. Screams of joy follow the first note of every song that made it to the airwaves as The 1975 take the crowd down memory lane with tracks like ‘Robbers’, ‘Somebody Else’, ‘She’s American’, ‘The City’, ‘Paris’, and ‘Nana’.

Every song was met with singalongs, the crowd singing everything word-for-word as if it was a much-needed cathartic release. And in a way, it was. 

From the moment you hear The 1975’s shimmering guitar melodies or pumping drums, it radiates warmth and comfort. The band are familiar in the best way possible, with a discography home to songs that your heart knows all too well—even if you don’t immediately recognise them. They reignite a deep part of yourself that lived and thrived during the simpler (and admittedly, melodramatic) days of Tumblr, platform shoes, and indie sleaze while also healing that smidgen of teenage heartache and angst you didn’t know still existed.

In between songs, Matty took the time to interact with the crowd, particularly playing a game of 'surprise song request' with a fan holding up a sign. In the band's true chaotic fashion, the frontman wanted to reveal all three options before later revealing they may or may not perform those songs (spoiler: they later performed two of the three songs: 'The City' and 'She's American').

The Manila iterations of the At Their Very Best tour may have been less of a spectacle compared to its North American and European legs, but they do hold the same gravity. The two-day concert is a testament to their undeniable impact on an entire generation of Filipino music fans. Life has significantly changed in the last decade and yet the love this city has for The 1975 has never faltered, their music continuing to linger in our hearts no matter how many years go by.

This is possibly the best The 1975 has ever been, showcasing their musical dexterity and ever-expanding artistry but as Matty put it, “The thing about us, ladies and gentlemen, is that we keep getting better.”

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