The 1975 @ OVO Hydro, Glasgow, 19 Jan

A show of two halves, the new 1975 tour is one of their most lavish and extravagant outings, bringing a little bit of everything that the impish pop-rockers have utilised in their career thus far. Which is a bit ironic, given that their latest album, Being Funny in a Foreign Language, is their least eccentric.

The show's first half shares the new album's title, and its tracks dominate the setlist, although Sincerity is Scary and old favourite fallingforyou also appear. This portion is heavy on the theatrics, immediately obvious from the stage setup, with an elaborate house for the band to wander through as they play. It's pitched halfway between Harold Pinter and an 80s sitcom, but it works for the band's goofy yet sincere style. Matty Healy is in his element playing a wannabe Tom Waits, chain-smoking and chugging from a bottle of wine (which barely goes down – the first hint that it's all an act).

About half an hour in, after almost no interaction with the crowd, Healy suddenly addresses a camera directly, obliterating the fourth wall and talking about how he hates the immoderate rocker act; he's sick of this drudgery and just wants a peppermint tea (which he's swiftly given). It's a funny moment and adds an extra layer of meta to the proceedings, but it's a bit jarring in that he almost immediately jumps back into character.

Image: The 1975 @ OVO Hydro, Glasgow, 19 Jan by Jordan Curtis Hughes

There's little about the show tonight that feels edgy or dangerous (except when Healy is on the roof of the house), but it's choreographed to feel so without impinging on the band's ability to operate as a slick hit machine. This side of the band is more prominent come the second half when all the bangers get aired to scenes of manic jubilation. 'Oldies' like Robbers, Sex and Chocolate thrill, but sit just as neatly with newer songs like It's Not Living (If It's Not With You) and If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know). The latter is notable as the only song included from 2020's Notes on a Conditional Form – perhaps an admission that the album's experimental tendencies aren't the best for the hedonistic simplicities of a 1975 show.

And this is ultimately at the heart of the group's dynamic: an unabashed desire to have a good time and make sure everyone else does too. Forget the raw meat, the press-ups and the nods to pretentiousness. Healy, open-shirted and gyrating during closer Give Yourself a Try embodies the closest thing we have to a classic rock star and it's in this simple mode that The 1975 truly thrive.