A solid band, a solid setlist, and a solid crowd. The 1975 At Their Very Best in Manila was truly what its name was — the very best.

The 1975 has made several appearances in the Philippine concert scene since they made their debut in a series of mall performances in 2014. The band, which consists of Matty Healy on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Adam Hann on lead guitar, Ross MacDonald on bass, and George Daniel on drums, will then return to the nation to perform their first arena show in 2015, headline an indoor music festival in 2016, and play a second arena show in 2019.

The band has developed a close bond with concertgoers in the Philippines for almost ten years, and each time, that bond has grown and deepened. Matty expressed his gratitude for Manila’s outstanding support over the years. The thing is with Manila, you guys kind of have dibs on The 1975 cause you were the first ones to like us. We were bigger in Manila before we were bigger in the UK,” he said. And it was very clear during their recently ended back-to-back performances on May 3 and 4 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

A sold-out MOA Arena welcomed the band on May 3 as they kicked off the first of two nights of The 1975 At Their Very Best in Manila concerts. The band’s current tour, which began in North America in November 2022 and then traveled to Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Oceania, included a stop in the Philippines. Manila was the final stop on the fourth leg of the tour, which will take them back to Europe, Asia, and North America from June to September.

Wallice, an American singer-songwriter, opened for The 1975, delivering songs such as “90s American Superstar,” “Listen Here,” “Hey Michael,” “Punching Bag,” “John Wayne,” her most recent tune “Best Friend,” her personal favorite “Funeral,” and “23.” The musician thanked the group for letting her join them on tour in a heartfelt statement. “It’s been a dream come true,” she remarked, “Thank you, The 1975!”

Manila you were amazing ❤️

— Wallice (@wallice) May 5, 2023

Minutes later, A Theatrical Performance of an Intimate Moment commenced with Matty, Adam, Ross, and George, appearing on screen while riding animal toys — the most unserious entrance we witnessed and an entrance we won’t have any other way.

The stage setup was straightforward. The camera work was stunning, dramatic, and entrancing. The setlist was a beautiful surprise.

The band opened the May 3 show with “Looking for Somebody (to Love)” and “Happiness” off their 2022 studio album Being Funny in a Foreign Language. Then they played “Ugh!” from 2015, which was followed by “Oh Caroline” from Being Funny in a Foreign Language. Moving forward, the band performed “Me & You Together Song” and “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)” from the Notes on a Conditional Form album. And Manila was all for it, demonstrating once more the astounding enthusiasm of the Philippine concertgoers as they euphorically greet every beat and sing along to every word at the top of their lungs. The song “I’m In Love With You” from the album Being Funny in a Foreign Language was also performed live in Manila.

Matty paused to officially welcome the crowd to The 1975. “We are! Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to The 1975! Thank you so much for coming. We are very happy to be here,” he said, pointing out that coming to Manila is always a great experience. “We are kinda ten times bigger than we should be.”

The 1975 performed “fallingforyou” from their 2013 extended play IV, paying tribute to the band’s almost decade-long relationship with the Philippines. And the bliss persisted with back-to-back “About You,” the synth-goodness of “An Encounter,” “Robbers,” and “Somebody Else.” They also played “Pressure” and “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)”. Matty briefly sampled “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson before switching to “Paris,” “Me,” and “Love It If We Made It.”

The audience’s voices reverberated loudly and clearly as they sang along to The 1975’s “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)” in exquisite harmony. After an emotive performance of “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes),” “The Sound,” “Sex,” and the evening’s closing song, “Give Yourself A Try,” brought back the party vibe. Everyone allowed themselves to become lost in the moment, be on their feet, and raise their voices to every word, causing the arena to shake with the intensity of the jumping and the echoing of everyone’s voices. These are the moments. This is the memory—an encounter we will choose to have every time.

The 1975 At Their Very Best in Manila was everything its name suggests — the very best. It was euphoric. It was Happiness.

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THE 1975 AT THEIR VERY BEST IN MANILA was presented by PULP Live World. Special thanks to PULP Live World for the invitation.

The article contains events that transpired on Day 1 of the two-day concert of the band in the country.