Sold out show at Glasgow’s o2 Academy, the queues formed around the venue for fans hoping to get in early to get a good place for prime viewing. Bastille plays the venue first of two nights in the venue. Two night there is two support bands to help warm up the Glasgow audience.
It was an early start for the first support as folk were flocking into the venue as they took to the stage. The 5-piece band played an impressive set with highlight songs Fight the Feeling, it was a catchy song that seemed to grab the attention of the Glasgow crowd. This was the bands first time in Glasgow, and they were really enjoying it. They closed their set with the excellent Time. The band appreciated the Glasgow crowd and showed they’re thanks to them.
As the lights came up the stage crew clear the stage of the second support a 3-piece band Dylan, they grabbed the audience from the first chord, great vocals and song that really grab you in and this was the perfect warm up with great interaction with the audience before a nice cover of Gun’ n Roses Paradise City. They really delivered a notable set to warm up the Glasgow audience before Bastille.
As the lights came back up It was time for the stage crew to clear the stage and set everything up for the return to Bastille to Glasgow. The crowd was of mixed age but mostly a young age group. They were all ready to party to the music of Bastille.
As the lights dimmed the back LED screen came to life with words and abstract images, this created a silhouette of the front of stage because of the glow off the screen. As the intro music stopped the opening Stay Awake? Started before you could see the image of Dan Smith appear in front of a white screen at the rear of the stage. This was the fans first look at the stage that was set up to form various levels, the middle level featured a recliner bed.
After the opening song that was mostly performed at the rear of the stage Dan Smith made his way to the front. Full of energy he made his way to all sides of the stage taking in the sold-out Glasgow audience. Bastille out promoting their latest album Give Me the Future were creating a real buzz during the European leg of the tour, and this has transferred across to the recent UK shows.
As Dan takes his position on the recliner bed as he watches the screen as if it is in the future telling him what to do next. This brought another dynamic to the show. He gives the fans the perfect opening set of songs that had them dancing around the venue, some of the songs that featured are Distorted Light Beam, Things We lost in the Fire and Oblivion. His band were on top form as they were positioned around the stage at various levels in the shape of a semi-circle. Dan had the crowd in a frenzy with in-your-face start to the set. This was set to continue as he was worked his way through the set.
Songs like Back to the future, Good Grief and Promises had the audience in full voice, you could see by the band facial expressions they were loving their first night in the o2 Academy. There seemed to be so many songs that you would never have thought this were Bastilles. He has covered so much ground with his music in such a short space of time. You knew it was getting close to the end when the big hits started to come out with Happier and Run into Trouble. The please was the massive hit for the band and just about took the roof off the venue was the classic Pompeii. This was the final song of the set before the encore.
The band were on fire, and they have given the Glasgow crowd every bit of energy but there was still time for a few more songs before the end of the show. AS Dan and the band delights the audience with Hope for the Future and the final song was Shut off the Lights before the Glasgow audience gave them a rapturous applause before the band made their way off the stage. This was a great night of music and entertainment for Bastille. Tonight, we were treated to a show on a different level that brought a smile to fans of all ages.
Review by Karen Edmond
