Bastille – The O2 (4/5)

The phenomenal demand posed on Bastille’s 2013 autumn tour has guaranteed us a sell-out show. The O2 is crammed with a keen, female-dominated arrangement in the front and a seemingly mixed bag of young and old toward the rear. Dan Croll and his four-piece band are first to possess the stage; with a vocal-likeness to Local Natives, Croll confidently kicks into rather well received tracks such as ‘Compliment Your Soul’ and ‘Only Ghosts’. The slight air of disengagement that sometimes haunts a crowd during the opening support band quickly expires as doses of quirky percussive instrumentals take hold in the newest single ‘In/Out’. Swiss Lips deliver an equally professional performance, with an infectious set of electronic escapism, emotionally-charged lyrics and dance-pop hooks. Excitement intensifies as we wait for Bastille to grace the stage – soon, the lights are dimmed further, “woo”s manifest, then silence ensues… Kicking off with the debut album’s anthemic title track, ‘Bad Blood’, they begin how they intend to go on; granting our ears with delirious synth-driven sound. With soaring delivery, Dan’s voice is on point as they power through each highly recognised track as naturally as you’d imagine. The 16-song set is punctuated by offerings of new experimental material; ‘The Draw’, ‘Blame’ and ‘Campus’ reaffirm that they have an acute ear for intelligent intricacies. ‘Flaws’ sees Dan wading through the crowd and as the set draws to a close, an encore (‘Get Home’, ‘Of the Night’, ‘Pompeii’) is in high demand. Visual projections of music video footage and atmospheric silhouettes posed against a stark white backdrop are something that makes this gig memorable. As applause takes hold, modest exits follow and the crowd is left to reflect over such a captivating spectacle.

Libby Weeks

 

Clean Bandit – Cockpit (4/5)

“So you think electronic music is boring? You think it’s stupid?” Honestly I did, until I walked out of Clean Bandit’s gig. Arriving early at the relatively small and still empty Cockpit, I wondered if the pioneers of electronic chamber music would manage to get the mob going at all, a concern amplified as the audience began to fill with angst-ridden hipsters and trendy dads. After a support act not dissimilar to Britney’s therapy sessions put to a backing track, I had serious doubts.

When Clean Bandit stormed the stage, the whole atmosphere changed. They burst with energy; riling the crowd easily into the vocal hook of A&E, gliding smoothly into a performance ofDust Clears that far surpassed its recorded counterpart. The whole group truly performed, the vocalists effortlessly working the crowd into frenzy, with Patterson clearly masterminding from behind the keys. As Amin-Smith and Chatto beautifully worked the string parts on tracks like UK Shanty and Nightingale, it became clear the band could back their bravado with seriously good music. In a style that often takes itself too seriously, their obvious enjoyment and humour presided, creating a rare sense of unity throughout.

A triumphant roar from the fans preceded Bandit’s intense encore; a booming rendition of Show Me Love and an electric delivery of their epic Mozart’s House, a stunning blend of driving bass and sweet samples from the composer himself. Before leaving, the band cried “tonight, this is Mozart’s house” in tribute to old Wolfgang. Hopefully, amidst the madness, they realised that the house really was just as much theirs.

Sam Corcoran

 

Daughter – Leeds Town Hall (4/5)

“What a beautiful room” is singer Elena Tonra’s opening statement at the glorious Leeds Town Hall. And she’s not wrong. The band are positioned in front of an elegant grand organ that delightfully contrasts with the electronic sound of the band’s keyboard. The band open with ‘Still’, a trance-inducing number which in which guitarist Igor Haefeli uses a bow to create a scratchy effect which adds to the overall gothic quality of the track. The trio’s moody, experimental sounds are perfectly accompanied by eerie purple mist and flickering strobe lights, and the audience is left spell bound throughout the whole set. The intimacy of the gig shows the band in a relaxed manner which is not always possible when performing to adorning fans.  “Sorry we’re just faffing,” Elena tells us during a pause between songs, and she later jokes that she “can’t remember the song”. Later in the set the band play ‘Landfill’, the band’s first EP, originally recorded in Igor’s bedroom. At the end of the set the crowd demand an encore. “This isn’t our song,” we’re told as we are treated to a beautifully chilling cover of Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’, which entices members of the audience to fill gaps between isles to dance. With a sound that is constantly evolving, a first album release under their belt and a string of sold out shows, Daughter are certainly ones to watch this year.

Georgia Williams