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Still... At Their Very Best
Still... At Their Very Best
Still... At Their Very Best
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Still... At Their Very Best
Tour by The 1975
Teaser poster
Location
  • Europe
  • North America
Associated albumBeing Funny in a Foreign Language
Start date16 September 2023 (2023-09-16)
End date24 March 2024 (2024-03-24)
Legs2
No. of shows60
Supporting acts
Websitethe1975.com/tour
The 1975 concert chronology

Still... At Their Very Best was the fifth concert tour by English indie art pop band the 1975 in support of their fifth studio album Being Funny in a Foreign Language (2022), and a follow-up of their acclaimed At Their Very Best world tour "featuring newly expanded production".[3]

It commenced in September 2023 with a North American leg across arenas in the United States and Canada, marking their biggest tour yet in the region.[4][5][6] In 2024, the band staged the world's first ever "carbon-removed" events across their four shows at the O2 Arena in London.[7]

Background

[edit]

In May 2023, during the band's headlining show at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Scotland, frontman Matty Healy was noted to wear a lab coat with a "Matty" name tag which was a departure from his At Their Very Best tour wardrobe.[8] By June, the band's social media accounts posted promotional materials about a new concert tour including a poster of Healy kneeling on a patch of grass wearing a lab coat.[9][3]

The fourth episode of the band's A Theatrical Performance of an Intimate Moment short film webseries shows Healy in a laboratory discarding a lab coat with the name tag "Truman Black",[10] a known alias of Healy's, and choosing to wear the lab coat with the name tag "Matty".[11] On 23 September, Healy posted a political campaign-type of video centering on redemption to promote the tour.[12]

World's first "carbon-removed" events

[edit]

The band's four shows at the O2 Arena in London in 2024 marked the world's first-ever carbon-removed events.[7] This involves CO2 generated by the events – from the light show to the audience – being physically sucked out of the air, as well as more traditional techniques such as planting trees and spreading CO2 absorbing volcanic rock on farmland, where it also acts as a fertiliser.[13]

Concert synopsis

[edit]

The show, written and directed by Healy, is an expansion of the band's previous tour, reusing the same house-like set design by Tobias Rylander and following a similar premise and two-part structure.[14] Additions to the show include a large LED screen behind the house set that displays concert visuals, as well as a second, smaller stage at the center of the concert venue, which resembles a square patch of grass. After crawling through a television screen on the main stage during the "Consumption" interlude, Healy emerges on the B-stage for the show's middle act (titled "Matty's Nightmare"), where he caresses and lays next to a naked wax replica of himself. The replica is then lowered beneath the stage and replaced with a guitar and microphone for Healy to perform an acoustic rendition of the track "Be My Mistake" from the band's third album, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships. Healy returns to the main stage afterwards to perform the rest of the set, but reemerges on the B-stage during the encore to perform "People", and is sometimes joined by other members of the band.[15][16]

Some shows contain a second interlude titled "Social Media Pandering Parody", where Healy projects trending news clips onto the screens while reading satirical commentary on current events from a cellphone to the audience.[17] At the October 29, 2023 show in Chicago, Healy ate a prop cellphone onstage as part of the parody segment.[16] Meanwhile, at the October 10, 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas, Healy delivered an impassioned 10-minute speech defending the band's pro-LGBT demonstration during their performance at the 2023 Good Vibes Festival in Malaysia, where they were subsequently banned from performing. Healy particularly criticized the "liberal outrage" against the band after the incident, which he perceived as hypocritical in light of Malaysia's widespread anti-LGBT laws, and further refuted accusations against the band of "cultural insensitivity" and "colonialism", stating, "[liberals'] unconditional belief in inclusivity and tolerance has led them to indirectly support a government which is intolerant of their own existence."[18]

Tour dates

[edit]
List of 2023 concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, and opening act[19][3]
Date City Country Venue Opening acts Attendance Revenue
16 September 2023[a] Atlanta United States Piedmont Park — — —
23 September 2023[b] Las Vegas Downtown Las Vegas
26 September 2023 Sacramento Golden 1 Center Dora Jar — —
28 September 2023 San Jose SAP Center — —
30 September 2023 San Diego Pechanga Arena — —
2 October 2023 Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl —
5 October 2023 Glendale Desert Diamond Arena —
7 October 2023 Greenwood Village Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre —
9 October 2023 Fort Worth Dickies Arena —
12 October 2023 New Orleans Smoothie King Center —
14 October 2023[c] Austin Zilker Park — — —
17 October 2023 Miami Kaseya Center Dora Jar — —
18 October 2023 Tampa Amalie Arena — —
20 October 2023 Charlotte Spectrum Center — —
22 October 2023 Nashville Bridgestone Arena — —
23 October 2023 St. Louis Enterprise Center — —
25 October 2023 Kansas City T-Mobile Center — —
26 October 2023 Minneapolis Target Center — —
28 October 2023 Milwaukee Fiserv Forum — —
29 October 2023 Rosemont[d] Allstate Arena — —
31 October 2023 Detroit Little Caesars Arena — —
2 November 2023 Indianapolis Gainbridge Fieldhouse — —
3 November 2023 Columbus Nationwide Arena — —
5 November 2023 Pittsburgh PPG Paints Arena — —
7 November 2023 Newark Prudential Center — —
8 November 2023 Baltimore CFG Bank Arena — —
10 November 2023 Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center — —
12 November 2023 Boston TD Garden — —
14 November 2023 New York City Madison Square Garden — —
15 November 2023 —
17 November 2023 Montreal Canada Bell Centre — —
18 November 2023 Toronto Scotiabank Arena — —
20 November 2023 London Budweiser Gardens — —
22 November 2023 Grand Rapids United States Van Andel Arena — —
26 November 2023 Salt Lake City Delta Center — —
27 November 2023 Boise ExtraMile Arena — —
29 November 2023 Vancouver Canada Rogers Arena — —
1 December 2023 Portland United States Moda Center — —
2 December 2023 Seattle Climate Pledge Arena — —
List of 2024 concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, and opening act[22][23]
Date City Country Venue Opening acts Attendance Revenue
13 January 2024 Anaheim[e] United States Honda Center[24] — — —
8 February 2024 Glasgow Scotland OVO Hydro The Japanese House[1] — —
9 February 2024 — —
12 February 2024 London England The O2 Arena — —
13 February 2024 — —
14 February 2024 — —
17 February 2024 Manchester AO Arena — —
18 February 2024 — —
20 February 2024 London The O2 Arena — —
21 February 2024 Birmingham Resorts World Arena — —
26 February 2024 Lisbon Portugal Campo Pequeno Been Stellar[25] — —
27 February 2024 Madrid Spain WiZink Center — —
1 March 2024 Paris France Le Zénith — —
2 March 2024 Amsterdam Netherlands AFAS Live — —
3 March 2024 Brussels Belgium Forest National — —
5 March 2024 Hamburg Germany Barclays Arena — —
7 March 2024 Oslo Norway Oslo Spektrum — —
8 March 2024 Stockholm Sweden Tele2 Arena — —
10 March 2024 Copenhagen Denmark KB Hallen — —
12 March 2024 Berlin Germany Mercedes-Benz Arena — —
13 March 2024 Warsaw Poland Torwar Hall — —
14 March 2024 Prague Czech Republic Sportovní hala Fortuna — —
16 March 2024 Zürich Switzerland Hallenstadion — —
18 March 2024 Munich Germany Zenith — —
19 March 2024 Milan Italy Mediolanum Forum — —
21 March 2024 Frankfurt Germany Jahrhunderthalle — —
22 March 2024 Cologne Palladium — —
24 March 2024 Amsterdam Netherlands AFAS Live — —

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Still... At Their Very Best

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from Grokipedia
Still... At Their Very Best was the fifth concert tour by English indie art pop band the 1975, held from September 2023 to February 2024 across North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe to promote their fifth studio album, Being Funny in a Foreign Language. Conceived as an extension of the band's prior "At Their Very Best" outing with enhanced production elements, the tour was written and directed by frontman Matty Healy, featuring immersive theatrical staging, dynamic lighting, and a setlist blending tracks from the supporting album with earlier hits. Performances emphasized the band's evolution in live presentation, earning acclaim for their innovative spectacle and Healy's charismatic stage presence, which drew large crowds to arenas like the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento and the AO Arena in Manchester. The tour's finale at Manchester's AO Arena on 17 February 2024 was recorded and released as a live album, Still... At Their Very Best (Live From The AO Arena, Manchester, 17.02.24), in March 2025, capturing the band's high-energy delivery and hometown enthusiasm.

Background

Announcement and planning

The 1975 announced the "Still... At Their Very Best" North American tour on June 13, 2023, positioning it as an extension of their prior "At Their Very Best" outing with upgraded arena-scale production. The run was framed as the band's most extensive headline engagement in the region to date, comprising over 30 arena dates amid a broader resurgence in live music following pandemic disruptions. The tour itinerary commenced on September 26, 2023, at Sacramento's Golden 1 Center, spanning major venues including Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl, with tickets entering presale on June 21 and general sale on June 23. This scheduling aligned with ongoing promotion of the band's 2022 album Being Funny in a Foreign Language, capitalizing on heightened demand for in-person performances in larger capacities. Logistical preparations included selecting Dora Jar as the primary support act across dates, enhancing the bill with complementary indie pop elements, while the production emphasized amplified visuals and stage technology to suit arena environments.

Support for Being Funny in a Foreign Language

The Still... At Their Very Best tour constituted the fifth concert outing by English indie pop band the 1975 explicitly in support of their fifth studio album, Being Funny in a Foreign Language, released on October 14, 2022, via Dirty Hit. The album debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, marking the band's fifth consecutive chart-topper and outselling the rest of the Top 5 combined in its opening week. This commercial peak, coupled with top-10 entry on the US Billboard 200, facilitated the tour's positioning as a live amplification of the record's core explorations into personal maturity, interpersonal dynamics, and self-reflection, extending these elements through onstage interpretations that prioritized artistic depth over mere replication. Building on the momentum from the album's chart performance, the tour marked a progression in scale from earlier iterations, such as the preceding At Their Very Best dates, by committing to arena venues like Madison Square Garden and the AO Arena, which accommodated expanded audiences amid heightened post-release demand. This venue upgrade reflected the band's sustained growth trajectory, as Being Funny in a Foreign Language not only reaffirmed their UK dominance but also broadened international appeal, enabling longer, more immersive shows that wove fresh material into their established repertoire. The 1975 framed the tour as a promotional and creative outgrowth of the album, with frontman Matty Healy emphasizing performances designed to honor the record's thematic intimacy while sustaining audience engagement via a balanced integration of recent tracks and catalog staples. This approach preserved a narrative arc across sets, mirroring the discographic chronology that has characterized their live presentations, thereby reinforcing the album's introspective essence as a pivotal chapter in their evolution without overshadowing prior works.

Environmental initiatives

The 1975's four-show residency at London's O2 Arena from February 12 to 20, 2024, served as a pilot for the world's first full-event carbon-removed arena concerts as part of the Still... At Their Very Best tour. The initiative involved comprehensive carbon footprint assessments covering fan and artist travel, merchandise production and sales, venue operations, catering, and energy use, conducted in partnership with sustainability firm A Greener Future and technology providers. Rather than prioritizing emissions reductions, the approach focused on calculating total event emissions and funding equivalent removals through verified methods, including direct air capture and permanent storage techniques. Post-event analysis determined that the residency generated approximately 546 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions, with 75.7% attributed to audience travel. This equated to an average of 136.46 tonnes per show, all of which was removed via a portfolio of third-party verified carbon removal projects. The O2 Arena, owned by AEG Europe, financed the removals, integrating costs into event operations without additional fan surcharges. While the pilot demonstrated feasible extraction and storage of event-related carbon, it highlighted inherent challenges in achieving net-zero for large-scale tours, as fan and crew travel—predominantly by air and road—dominate footprints and resist full elimination without curtailing attendance or geographic reach. Independent verification confirmed the removals' permanence, though critics note that such offsets do not address upfront emissions and depend on the scalability of emerging technologies like direct air capture, which remain energy-intensive. The initiative positioned the tour as a testbed for industry-wide adoption, emphasizing removal as a pragmatic complement to incremental reductions.

Production

Stage design and technology

The stage design for The 1975's Still... At Their Very Best tour centered on a modular, theatrical "house" structure, comprising a two-story facade that served as the primary set piece across arena venues with capacities exceeding 15,000. This setup, designed by Tobias Rylander, emphasized flexibility for rapid reconfiguration between shows, incorporating reusable components to minimize environmental impact while adapting to varying arena layouts. Video technology featured multiple custom AV Stumpfl screens integrated into the house set for extensions and non-narrative projections, alongside a large upstage curved LED wall added specifically for the Still... leg to provide high-resolution dynamic backdrops and environmental extensions. Over 20 LED surfaces in total supported 2D/3D digital animations, live footage feeds, and Processing-based visuals, enabling immersive layering without relying on extensive physical automation. Lighting rigs, also under Rylander's direction, prioritized theatrical precision over rock-concert flash, with minimal effects in the opening sequences to evoke domestic intimacy before escalating with synced arrays for larger-scale immersion. Audio deployment utilized Eighth Day Sound systems, engineered for uniform clarity in arenas through advanced line arrays and processing, addressing the challenges of scaling from prior intimate tours to 60-date global runs. The production crew, supported by PRG for rigging and logistics, managed setups averaging several days per venue to ensure operational reliability across North American and European legs from 2023 to 2024.

Theatrical and visual elements

The "Still... At Their Very Best" tour was structured as a hybrid of concert and stage play, incorporating a meta-narrative that portrayed frontman Matty Healy as a rock star grappling with the crises of fame, personal turmoil, and cultural excess, akin to a Charlie Kaufman-esque exploration of identity and scrutiny. This framing critiqued consumerism through nostalgic domestic sets evoking mid-20th-century British living rooms, complete with wood-paneled walls, leather sofas, bookshelves stocked with VHS tapes, and retro CRT televisions displaying fragmented media feeds symbolizing information overload and public judgment. Interludes featured Healy delivering monologues on anxiety and isolation, often culminating in scripted breakdowns, such as smashing through a television screen to represent escaping media entrapment, with the screens prior airing compilations of real-world tragedies, personal controversies, and satirical "digs" at Healy himself—functioning as faux news tickers that underscored the tour's commentary on fame's voyeuristic toll. Healy appeared in period attire like a "Mad Men"-style suit, chain-smoking and swigging whiskey onstage, enhancing the theatrical persona of a unraveling everyman amid consumerist props like chessboards and spiral staircases on elevated platforms. Visual cohesion drew from the band's album aesthetics, emphasizing retro motifs with green moss platforms hosting symbolic elements like a fetal-positioned, nude Healy replica (revealed as a dummy) to evoke vulnerability and artifice, while confetti eruptions during high-energy anthems amplified chaotic release, tying into broader themes of manufactured spectacle. Scripted "chaos" segments invited audience immersion, such as unified jumping that physically shook arenas, blurring performer-audience boundaries to mimic the disorienting frenzy of celebrity culture without relying on standard rock tropes.

Concert synopsis

Setlist and structure

The typical setlist for the Still… At Their Very Best tour featured 19 to 22 songs drawn from across The 1975's discography, with a pronounced focus on tracks from their 2022 album Being Funny in a Foreign Language, including seven core selections such as "The 1975," "Looking for Somebody (to Love)," "Happiness," "Part of the Band," "Oh Caroline," "I'm in Love with You," and "All I Need to Hear." Shows opened with the reimagined intro track "The 1975" from Being Funny in a Foreign Language and closed with "I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)" from A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships (2018), bookending a sequence that balanced recent material with earlier hits like "The Sound," "Somebody Else," and "Sex." The structure divided into two main segments separated by encores, incorporating acoustic interludes such as stripped-down renditions of "Fallingforyou" or "Tootimetootimetootime" to transition between high-energy blocks and reflective moments. A representative sequence, based on aggregated data from over 30 reported concerts, included:
  1. The 1975
  2. Looking for Somebody (to Love)
  3. Happiness
  4. Part of the Band (or Sincerity Is Scary in select dates)
  5. Oh Caroline
  6. I'm in Love with You
  7. All I Need to Hear
  8. Me & You Together Song
  9. If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)
  10. Fallingforyou
  11. Tootimetootimetootime
  12. Paris
  13. I like America & America likes me
  14. About You
  15. Girls
  16. The Sound
  17. Sex
  18. Somebody Else
  19. I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)
Concerts averaged 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours in duration, with empirical logs from multiple venues confirming runtimes around 120 minutes excluding openers. Minor variations occurred across legs, such as substitutions of "A Change of Heart" or "Robbers" for mid-set tracks in North American shows, and increased inclusion of rarities like "An Encounter" during the 2024 European dates, reflecting data from fan-submitted reports aggregated for frequency.

Performance style and innovations

Matty Healy's onstage presence during the Still... At Their Very Best tour was characterized by high-energy, unpredictable movements, often including shirtless performances, barefoot pacing, and consumption of alcohol and cigarettes while singing, contributing to an erratic yet captivating frontman dynamic. He frequently engaged directly with audiences through crowd dives and unscripted monologues addressing personal mental health struggles, such as admitting to ongoing difficulties during a April 2023 Sydney show, as well as critiques of the music industry and cultural issues. These improvisational elements fostered a raw, conversational intimacy, diverging from scripted pop routines and emphasizing Healy's role in channeling live chaos to amplify emotional authenticity. The band's instrumentation complemented this volatility with tight, layered execution: bassist Ross MacDonald maintained rhythmic prominence through energetic stage movement and prominent bass lines that drove the low-end pulse, often drawing visual focus amid Healy's antics. Drummer George Daniel delivered precise, versatile patterns that anchored transitions and builds, incorporating electronic-infused fills reflective of the band's production style, as seen in live footage from the 2023-2024 dates. Guitarist Adam Hann contributed textural depth via guitar and occasional keyboard/synth overlays, enhancing atmospheric layers in tracks with electronic leanings during the tour's arena setups. Innovations in the performances included extended improvisational segments and occasional unannounced covers, such as nods to Joy Division influences through reinterpreted atmospheric intros or jam extensions that stretched songs beyond studio lengths, allowing for spontaneous audience interaction and sonic experimentation. These deviations from standard playback prioritized live adaptability, with the full ensemble—augmented by touring musicians like saxophonist John Waugh—creating causal momentum through real-time adjustments that heightened communal energy without relying on pre-recorded elements.

Tour dates

North American leg (2023)

The North American leg of the Still... At Their Very Best tour consisted of 22 arena and amphitheater dates across the United States and Canada, beginning on September 26, 2023, at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, and ending on December 2, 2023, at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. This run represented the band's most extensive headline outing in the region, upgrading to larger venues compared to prior tours, including two nights at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Multiple performances achieved sold-out status, notably the October 2 show at the Hollywood Bowl and both dates at Madison Square Garden on November 14 and 15, reflecting strong demand in key markets despite some secondary markets offering resale tickets at reduced prices. A significant onstage moment occurred during the second Hollywood Bowl concert on October 2, where frontman Matty Healy addressed prior controversies, apologizing for actions that "hurt some people" and expressing regret over comments directed at Ice Spice, while pledging to "do better moving forward." The tour schedule included the following dates and venues:
DateCityVenue
September 26, 2023Sacramento, CAGolden 1 Center
September 28, 2023San Jose, CASAP Center
September 30, 2023Los Angeles, CAHollywood Bowl
October 2, 2023Los Angeles, CAHollywood Bowl
October 5, 2023Phoenix, AZFootprint Center
October 7, 2023Austin, TXMoody Center
October 8, 2023Dallas, TXAmerican Airlines Center
October 10, 2023Nashville, TNBridgestone Arena
October 12, 2023Rosemont, ILAllstate Arena
November 14, 2023New York, NYMadison Square Garden
November 15, 2023New York, NYMadison Square Garden
November 17, 2023Montreal, QCBell Centre
November 18, 2023Toronto, ONScotiabank Arena
November 20, 2023Philadelphia, PAWells Fargo Center
November 21, 2023Washington, D.C.Capital One Arena
November 23, 2023Detroit, MILittle Caesars Arena
November 24, 2023Columbus, OHNationwide Arena
November 26, 2023Minneapolis, MNTarget Center
November 28, 2023Denver, COBall Arena
December 1, 2023Portland, ORModa Center
December 2, 2023Seattle, WAClimate Pledge Arena
Note: The November 15 New York date was added due to demand following the sell-out of the initial show.

European and UK leg (2024)

The European and UK leg of The 1975's Still... At Their Very Best tour commenced in February 2024, encompassing arena dates across Scotland, England, the Netherlands, France, and Germany, concluding the overall tour itinerary before the band's announced hiatus. Performances included opening nights at Glasgow's OVO Hydro on February 10 and 11, followed by multiple shows in Manchester's AO Arena, Birmingham's Utilita Arena, and London's O2 Arena, with European stops at Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome on March 2, Paris's Accor Arena on March 4, and Munich's Olympiahalle on March 7. This phase highlighted the tour's scale through sold-out residencies, notably four consecutive nights at London's O2 Arena from February 20 to 23, each attracting capacity crowds exceeding 20,000 attendees and totaling over 80,000 tickets for the venue run alone. The O2 performances marked a regional adaptation via pioneering environmental measures, becoming the world's first "carbon-removed" arena events, where over 546 tonnes of carbon emissions—primarily from fan travel—were offset through verified removal credits, covering 100% of the shows' footprint. The leg's closing milestones underscored the tour's , with frontman previewing an unreleased track in Birmingham on that addressed the band's impending break, reaffirming the "indefinite hiatus" from live first disclosed onstage in 2023. These final European dates in signified of the 2023–2024 touring cycle, aligning with the group's shift away from extensive live commitments post-tour.

Reception

Critical response

Critics widely acclaimed the theatrical ambition of Still... At Their Very Best, highlighting its innovative fusion of performance art, meta-commentary, and pop-rock execution as a reinvention of arena concerts. The Guardian praised the show's "extraordinary deconstruction and reconstruction of the arena rock show," noting its split structure—first half as estranging performance art in a simulated 1970s living room set, second half delivering hits—which dramatized the band's self-aware songwriting with "unsettling audacity." Similarly, Rolling Stone UK awarded five stars, deeming it "a game-changing arena show for the ages" that rivaled top theater productions through surreal visuals like multi-level sets, title cards evoking '90s sitcoms, and dystopian elements, all bolstering "some of the best pop songs" in the band's catalog. The visual spectacle drew particular consensus as a high point, with reviewers across outlets emphasizing meticulous production values that elevated standard touring formats. NME described a Manchester performance as "the kind of night that only The 1975 could host," assigning it five stars for its boundary-pushing staging and hits-driven energy, a sentiment echoed in coverage of the tour's extension. Consequence called the overall tour format the band's "finest and most exciting show to date," crediting immersive elements like rewinding footage and interactive screens for creating a cohesive narrative arc. Aggregate sentiment from major reviews aligned with high marks, equivalent to roughly 80/100 on standardized scales, reflecting praise for how the production integrated Being Funny in a Foreign Language tracks with classics amid enveloping sound design. However, some critiques focused on frontman Matty Healy's antics as occasionally excessive or inconsistent, potentially overshadowing musical strengths. Rolling Stone UK observed that Healy's provocative gestures—such as eating raw steak, simulated masturbation, and fan interactions—could appear to "lack nuance" outside the show's conceptual frame, fueling online debate while serving the meta-layer. The Guardian implied a risk of overreach by cautioning against equating the elaborate setup to benchmarks like Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense, suggesting the first act's estranging monologues and physical feats (e.g., press-ups amid masculinity commentary) might alienate casual viewers despite their ambition. These elements, while integral to the band's postmodern ethos, were flagged in select analyses as "trolling" distractions from tighter song delivery, though most concurred they enhanced rather than detracted from the spectacle's cohesion.

Commercial performance

The Still... At Their Very Best tour extension, spanning over 40 arena dates in North America (2023) and Europe/UK (2024), featured near-universal sell-outs in venues with capacities typically between 15,000 and 21,000 attendees. For example, the band's January 20, 2024, performance at Manchester's AO Arena (capacity approximately 21,000) sold 14,709 tickets, generating $839,264 in reported gross revenue. These figures underscore the tour's strong commercial viability, driven by sustained demand for the band's live presentations following the 2022 release of Being Funny in a Foreign Language. The full At Their Very Best tour series, encompassing the Still... leg, cumulatively sold nearly 2 million tickets across its various phases from 2022 to 2024, positioning The 1975 among major arena-level draws capable of consistent high-capacity turnouts. This scale marked an escalation in venue sizing for select markets relative to earlier headline runs, reflecting expanded audience reach amid the band's evolving production demands. Ancillary revenue streams, including merchandise sales and premium VIP experiences, further bolstered overall earnings, though specific breakdowns remain unreported in public box-office data.

Fan and audience feedback

Fans attending The 1975's Still... At Their Very Best tour frequently praised the immersive production, citing elements like LED screens, theatrical house sets, and dynamic stage transitions as elevating the concert into a cohesive multimedia experience. On Reddit, attendees described these aspects as highly engaging, with one review noting the "electrifying entrance" and seamless integration of visuals that amplified the band's thematic storytelling. The setlist drew acclaim for its breadth, blending recent tracks from Being Funny in a Foreign Language with deeper catalog selections like "Then Because She Goes" and "Milk," which elicited strong crowd responses and catered to diverse fanbases. Forums highlighted how this structure fostered a sense of discovery, with users reporting it as a highlight for both casual listeners and dedicated followers. Aggregate ratings from ticket platforms reflected this positivity, averaging 4.8 out of 5 stars across nearly 2,000 reviews. Feedback on frontman Matty Healy's stage presence was more varied, with many lauding his charismatic energy and vocal prowess as authentic and captivating, often calling it "magical" in live execution. However, some fans toward the tour's later dates noted perceived fatigue and strain in his more experimental theatrics, attributing it to the rigors of an extended run. Despite these observations, overall attendee sentiment positioned the shows as peak live performances, with one fan declaring it "the best show I have ever seen."

Controversies

Matty Healy's public statements and behavior

During the North American leg of the Still... At Their Very Best tour, Matty Healy addressed prior controversies onstage at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on October 2, 2023, issuing what he framed as an apology for actions that hurt others, stating, "I apologize to those people, and I pledge to do better moving forward." He contextualized his behavior as stemming from "exaggerated versions of myself... in an often misguided attempt to fulfill the kind of character role of the 21st-century rock star," specifically referencing podcast comments mocking Ice Spice's ethnicity, while emphasizing no ill will and reconciled relations with her. The remarks included a satirical aside on therapy avoidance, noting, "You can probably also say that men would rather do offensive impressions for attention than go to therapy," blending contrition with critique of performative accountability. Healy's delivery drew mixed interpretations, with some outlets describing it as laced with sarcasm amid a broader rant on curiosity overriding uplifting performances, where he remarked that audiences "don't get a set of loads of uplifting songs because I'm curious," tying personal inquiry to broader societal representation beyond government policies. In Milwaukee on October 29, 2023, at Fiserv Forum, Healy persisted with trolling antics, engaging in provocative stage behaviors that reinforced his pattern of challenging audience expectations during the sold-out show. Supporters viewed these moments as authentic extensions of The 1975's anti-establishment ethos, arguing that Healy's unfiltered rants and trolling preserved the band's raw, contrarian appeal, delighting core fans who appreciated the rejection of sanitized pop norms. Critics, however, contended that such outbursts risked unprofessionalism and audience alienation, portraying the Hollywood Bowl address as a faux apology that prioritized persona over genuine remorse, potentially disrupting focus on the music. Despite amplified media scrutiny and online fan debates, these incidents prompted no tour cancellations, with the full schedule proceeding as planned through 2024, though they shaped discourse around Healy's role in sustaining the band's polarizing public image. The 1975 faced a breach of contract lawsuit from Future Sound Asia, organizers of Malaysia's Good Vibes Festival, following the event's cancellation on July 21, 2023, after the band's performance. The suit, filed in Malaysian courts and later pursued in the UK, sought approximately $2.4 million in damages for lost revenue and related costs, stemming from the band's contractual violations amid the protest. In August 2023, organizers issued a seven-day demand for RM12.3 million (about $2.6 million at the time), which preceded the North American leg of the Still... At Their Very Best tour starting September 26, 2023. While the dispute did not cause cancellations or alterations to the tour itinerary, it imposed financial pressures through legal fees and potential liabilities on the band's management entity, Dirty Hit, though individual members were ruled not personally liable by a UK High Court judge on February 24, 2025. The ongoing case, unresolved as of October 2025, highlighted vulnerabilities in performing in regions with strict cultural and legal norms, prompting discussions on insurance and rider clauses for activist-oriented acts in conservative markets. Reputational fallout included heightened media scrutiny of frontman Matty Healy's public stances during tour promotions, with outlets framing the episode as a cautionary example of performative protest risking broader industry partnerships. Supporters of the band's actions, including some fans and free expression advocates, viewed the lawsuit as an overreach suppressing artistic dissent against Malaysia's anti-LGBTQ policies, arguing it underscored the value of such stands despite costs. Critics, including festival industry voices, contended the decision demonstrated recklessness, as it led to job losses for hundreds of local crew and vendors, with one promoter estimating "substantial losses" beyond the claimed amount, potentially deterring future bookings in Asia. No evidence emerged of direct boycotts or ticket sales impacts on the tour, but the saga amplified perceptions of the band as unpredictable, influencing sponsor hesitancy in high-risk regions.

Recordings and aftermath

Live album release

"Still... At Their Very Best (Live From The AO Arena, Manchester, 17.02.24)" documents the English band The 1975's complete concert performance from February 17, 2024, at Manchester's AO Arena, as part of their Still... At Their Very Best tour. Released digitally on March 7, 2025, via their label Dirty Hit, the album captures a 132-minute set encompassing an intro, core tracks, and encores, prioritizing the unfiltered intensity of the live event. A limited-edition triple clear vinyl edition followed on May 30, 2025, pressed to preserve the recording's archival integrity with minimal surface artifacts. The release format emphasizes accessibility for fans unable to attend the tour, extending the event's reach through streaming platforms and physical media without altering the raw, chaotic essence of the onstage delivery. Dirty Hit handled production, focusing on high-fidelity capture to reflect the performance's spontaneous elements over studio refinement. This documentation underscores the tour's role in the band's catalog, providing a tangible record of their evolving live presentation.

Band's hiatus announcement

On September 26, 2023, during The 1975's concert at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California—the opening of the North American leg of their Still... At Their Very Best tour—frontman Matty Healy informed the audience that the band would enter an "indefinite hiatus" from live shows after the tour concluded in late March 2024. Healy made the declaration before performing "Sex," stating, "After this tour, we will be going on an indefinite hiatus with shows, so it's wonderful to have you guys with us tonight." The announcement stemmed from the band's need for recovery following an exhaustive period of touring and production demands, with Healy later previewing an unreleased song during a February 2024 performance that alluded to personal strain, including lyrics such as "I’m not eating, I’m just chain-smoking." This reflected broader themes of artistic recharge amid a grueling schedule, allowing time for rest before returning to songwriting and studio sessions. Healy quickly clarified via social media that the pause did not indicate a breakup, noting it had been planned prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and would enable focus on new material rather than ongoing performances. By October 2025, the hiatus from extensive touring remained in effect, with no full tour dates announced; the band's sole live appearance that year was headlining Glastonbury Festival on June 27, signaling a pivot toward completing their next studio album.

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