Bombay Bicycle Club
O2 Academy
4/5

Stepping out into an impressive light show, Bombay Bicycle Club were more than comfortable in greeting a full house at Leeds’ 02 Academy. On the back of releasing their fourth album, So Long, See You Tomorrow, the four-piece delivered a show packed with irrepressible energy and inspiring musicianship. Opening with the fuzz-driven ‘Overdone’, fans were already clambering onto friends’ shoulders in a frenzy of admiration. Despite being a band who’s repertoire includes an entirely acoustic album, Bombay’s live sound matches that of any successful stadium rock act. Songs from So Long constitute the bulk of the set, proving the album’s worth in a live setting. ‘Shuffle’ and ‘How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep’ from third album A Different Kind Of Fix receive rapturous applause – the deafening cheers are saved for crowd pleaser ‘Always Like This’. On stage, the band are accompanied by an array of musicians. Liz Lawrence’s haunting vocals accompany frontman Jack Steadman for a large quantity of the set, while songstress Rae Morris – who is currently supporting the band – was welcomed back on stage for ‘Luna’. Perhaps the most notable additions are the tooting brass section who really play their part for the dance driven numbers.

Though still in their early 20s, Bombay Bicycle Club are proving they’re anything but indie-schmindie. As they glided through four albums worth of songs with effortless execution, it’s clear they never let their absorption of other styles compromise who the band are. Instead of deliberately reinventing themselves to remain ”cool”, Bombay are carving their own path, maturing with genuine honesty.

Adam Nealon

photo: Wiki