The 1975 frontman Matt Healy made an emotional speech for ‘compassion and understanding’ from the youth in the wake of Brexit and Trump’s victory, as the band played the first of their shows at The O2 in London. Check out photos and the setlist below.
During an hit-packed set that leaned as much on their esoteric post-rock elements as it did pop bangers, their set showcased huge singles and fan favourites from both albums, along with deep cuts and rarities such as ‘Milk’, ‘Undo’ and ‘Medicine’.
Following a similar speech he made at Glastonbury when the result of the EU Referendum was announced and admitting that he cried when he found out Donald Trump had been elected President of the United States, Healy delivered a heartfelt plea to youth when introducing ‘Loving Someone’ – saying that he found it very sad that “young progressive voices” have been “drowned out by regressive ideals” in 2016 following Brexit and the recent US Presidential election.
“We’ve been in America for three months, that was fucked up,” he told the crowd. “It’s an amazing place full of young, compassionate liberal people like yourselves.
“We were there during the election and we were here during Brexit so we picked our fucking timing this year.”
He continued: “The thing is right, the obvious thing is it is very sad to see not just young but young, progressive voices of change being drowned out by regressive ideals, it is sad.
“If we are the liberals, if we are the left, if we are the young, the black, the Muslim, the gay, whatever we are, we have to understand that all of this shit, these paradigms of race and all this kind of stuff, it seems to make sense but that’s not really what it’s about.
“A lot of these people who voted against what I believe the majority of us stand for, most of those people are so disenfranchised by political systems that they wanted a change and it’s our responsibility yes to be pissed off but to be not patronising and be compassionate and be understanding. This song is about all those things. We love you London.”
MORE: The 1975’s epic O2 show in beautiful photos
The 1975 played:
The 1975
Love Me
UGH!
Heart Out
A Change of Heart
An Encounter
Robbers
I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It
M.O.N.E.Y.
Undo
Milk
Loving Someone
She’s American
Please Be Naked
Lostmyhead
Somebody Else
fallingforyou
Paris
Girls
Sex
Encore:
Medicine
If I Believe You
Chocolate
The Sound
Read more: The 1975’s full NME Album Of The Year interview
The NME Album of 2016 winners, who kicked off their tour in Manchester earlier this week, played a similar set featuring hit singles from both their albums plus fan favourites including ‘UGH’ and ‘The Sound’.
They will play a second night at the O2 tonight (December 16) before their tour continues in Newcastle, Glasgow, Bournemouth and Cardiff.