Bastille have once again asserted themselves as one of the best British bands of this century. The first night of their sold-out double headliner at Birmingham’s iconic O2 Academy was not one to miss.
The indie-pop band, hailing from London, England, have embarked on an area tour around the UK and Europe, playing to up to 20,000 adoring fans almost every night. In stark contrast, Birmingham’s 3,000 capacity venue should have felt as if they were performing in your living room. However, the high-end production, with wide screens and visual effects throughout the night that echoed an aesthetic that felt reminiscent of sci-fi blockbuster Tron, felt as if we were in London’s The O2, not Academy Birmingham.
Their opening acts, young indie quintet The Native and the energetic, sassy rising star Dylan brought energy to the room before Bastille stepped on stage. Dylan especially, getting the whole room dancing along to a few of her hits which have risen to Tiktok fame recently, including No Romeo and You’re Not Harry Styles – both catchy anthems that could rival those of Bastille.
Bastille performed a perfect blend of old and new, which pleased all fans in attendance. From their 2013 dance tune Of The Night, to the electric Back To The Future from their latest album, every single person in that room was moving and you could feel it with waves of heat rushing through with the beat. Even frontman Dan Smith joined in on the festivities, both jumping into the crowd below him and then running up to the balcony to get everyone on their feet. Musically, the band did not have a single fault. Their female backing singers also taking more of a centre during Future Holds.
It was not a game of stamina though, as their intervals, where visual effects took over for a few minutes at a time, allowed both audience and band space to breathe and regain energy for the next big performance piece. Their slower renditions of songs also gave pace to their performance and fed into the emotional journey each fan felt that night, with their rendition of Grip encouraging members to raise their phone lighters and put their arms around those they love.
As the performance drew to a close, the sea of fans, adorned with glitter and the band’s own merchandise, roared back to the band the iconic vocal riff from their 2013 No.1 hit Pompeii pre-encore, and the band finished with a whole room party to Shut Off The Lights. Bastille had yet again proven their unmatchable skill in live performance, as the excited buzz of the crowd flooded out of the venue and into the streets of the city.
Words and Pictures: Daisy Kent @daisylkent