The lights went down around 9 p.m. on Nov. 11 at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center, as Matthew (Matty) Healy of the 1975 stepped onto the stage along with his band mates, George, Adam and Ross. The band kicked off their sixteenth show out of 60 in Ypsilanti with the upbeat, hit song “Love Me” from their sophomore album “I like it when you sleep for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it,” while pink neon lights flashed and a fog machine set the room in a haze.

Claire Heise

Healy’s stage presence is a force to be reckoned with as he danced energetically while playing his guitar up and down the stage. His light blue patterned shirt and sleek Chelsea boots moved with him as he bobbed along and swayed to the music. The audience loved every minute of it as “Love Me” transitioned into “UGH!” The sets changed along with the song; going from a bright pink to a dark purple, with a skyline background behind the band.

Claire Heise

From “UGH!” came “Heart Out” and the audience was illuminated in a teal light from the three rectangles behind the lads. The tempo was slowed down during “Change of Heart,” which had one of the most colorful sets thus far. Healy swayed rhythmically to the beat and also interacted more with the audience during the song, often offering the mic to the mass and having them sing instead.

Set lists from past concerts said that following “Change of Heart” would be “This Must Be My Dream,” but due to technical errors behind the scene, “Robbers”- a crowd favorite song from their first album played instead. The set was a navy blue color and the three rectangles that were hanging above were a purple-pink shade. Since the song has a fairly deep meaning and a slower tempo, there wasn’t a lot of jumping up and down as the audience opted to sway, which matched the mood of the song and allowed the music to resonate more through the crowd.

Claire Heise

Both onstage and off, the 1975 never disappoints. The concert was colorful, lively and full of energy. Fans  jumped, yelled, scream-sang and cried to the extensive set list and just enjoyed Healy’s existence. As the band wraps up the North American leg of the tour, hopeful fans are waiting in anticipation for a third album, still basking in the greatness that is “Somebody Else.”