Filtering by Category: Music
Live Recap: Fleet Foxes and Uwade at Salt Shed
Fleet Foxes and Uwade performed to a huge crowd this past Wednesday night during the Salt Shed’s inaugural week.
The show was part of Salt Shed’s “Outside the Shed” series— a string of outdoor shows taking place around the venue while the indoor space continues to be revamped. The forecast had been calling for potential thunderstorms all evening, but the musical and weather gods blessed us with a clear forecast aside from a few sprinkles of rain here and there.
Uwade kicked off the evening with a solo support set, warming up the crowd with her stunning songwriting and friendly banter. Her show opened up with her song “Nostalgia,” which the singer shared was the first song she wrote. Uwade also introduced her next song “The Man Who Sees Tomorrow” by dedicating it to her father and sharing an anecdote about him and the creation of the song. Uwade also performed her newest single “Do You See The Light Around Me?,” which was released this year by Sylvan Esso’s record label Psychic Hotline.
The crowd attentively basked in the beauty of Uwade’s original music, and fortunately her set wasn’t the only time we saw her that evening— she returned to the stage at the start of Fleet Foxe’s set to perform “Wading In Waist-Hight Water” with the band. The track from 2020’s Shore features the collaboration between the singer and Fleet Foxes, so it was incredible to hear the song brought to life as the opening tune of their show.
Fleet Foxes’ set took place as the sun began to set, casting a hazy glow on the city’s skyline while the band provided the perfect soundtrack. Fleet Foxes’ frontman Robin Pecknold took the opportunity to share his appreciation for the evening several times throughout the night, but in the very beginning of the show, he told the audience how great it was to be at the venue for the opening week and called out that the weather cooperating.
Pecknold also engaged the crowd in banter between songs, asking “did everyone get a free popsicle?” in reference to the giveaway from Salt Shed, in partnership with Pretty Cool Ice Cream. While the set weaved through fan favorites like “Can I Believe You,” “White Winter Hymnal,” and “Third of May / Ōdaigahara,” Fleet Foxes also incorporated a few covers into the mix, including “Phoenix” by Big Red Machine and “The Kiss” by Judee Sill. Before playing the latter, Pecknold performed the song “If You Need To, Keep Time on Me” on acoustic guitar, accompanied only by Casey Westcott on piano while the rest of the band took a breather. The quieter moment provided juxtaposition against the full band that played for most of the show and included everything from trumpets, trombones and tambourines alongside the more traditional guitar, bass and piano.
The Chicago audience sadly missed out on the performance of Rage Against The Machine’s “Killing in the Name,” which a fan in the front had requested after seeing them cover it earlier this tour. Pecknold joked with the audience that they couldn’t perform the song because Christian [Wargo]’s mom was in attendance that night.
The evening wrapped up with an encore that once again featured the vocals of Uwade, providing a full circle moment to a wonderful night.
See photos of the show below, and see where you can catch Fleet Foxes on tour next here.
Live Recap: Third Eye Blind with Taking Back Sunday
ANCHR kicked off the weekend with a nostalgia-packed night at Northerly Island for Taking Back Sunday and Third Eye Blind. As I walked into the pavilion at the start of the evening, I saw a good ratio of fans sporting shirts for each band, signifying we had a blend of both fan bases in the house.
After an opening set from Australia’s Hockey Dad, Taking Back Sunday took the stage just as the sun began to set. They launched into their show with the song “Tidal Wave,” which is the title track of their 2016 album. From there, their setlist featured a good mix of the band’s discography, but it heavily featured many of their older cuts, which personally made me reminisce about my high school days. Particularly when they played songs like “MakeDamnSure” and “Cute Without the 'E' (Cut From the Team)”— which were staples in my rotation back in those days. Between songs, lead singer Adam Lazzara commented about the beautiful setting of the show, saying, “This is fantastic. It’s beautiful. There’s a nice breeze. All you beautiful people are here.” It really was the perfect breeze coming off the lake that night, and members of the audience all shared a sense of camaraderie and excitement. In addition to the throwbacks, the band performed their newest single “Just Us Two,” which they just dropped last month with Steve Aoki.
Next up, the stage got set for headliners Third Eye Blind. Their set up included risers with instruments and mic stands set up on the different levels, which the band used to shuffle around the stage during their set. The tour was in honor of the band’s 25th anniversary from their self-titled debut record.
The music began with a blend of old and new, with the beginning of the set featuring “Thanks a Lot” from their debut as well as “Dust Storm” from their 2021 record. The rest of the night journeyed through their expansive catalog, while heavily highlighting the songs from Third Eye Blind. The good vibes between the audience members continued to radiate and were highly encouraged by frontman Stephan Jenkins. He asked the crowd to acquaint themselves with the people next to them, saying, “Everyone from the front to the back, turn around and tell someone you don’t know that you’re glad they’re here.”
Jenkins continued to encourage friendly vibes amongst audience members before they played the song “Shipboard Cook,” which Jenkins introduced as a song he wrote to “be sung by drunk people in a pub. It’s a song for someone who got dumped and is being consoled by loving friends.” Towards the bottom half of the show from Third Eye Blind, fans were also treated to a solo acoustic performance of “The Background” by Jenkins, as well as a cover of “Funeral Singers” by Califone from the whole band.
Before the concert came to a close, we of course also heard the massive hits “Jumper,” “Semi-Charmed Life,” and “How’s It Going to Be.” The audience was full of long-time fans excited to be reunited with their favorite artist, alongside new fans or people getting to experience Third Eye Blind for the first time. It was great to see a mix of generations across the venue, and the gratitude from the crowd was also shared by Jenkins in the band. Jenkins made sure to vocalize that appreciation by saying, “Do you all have any idea how much we’ve been looking forward to tonight? We don’t take any of this for granted.”
There’s something really special about seeing songs that are ten, twenty years old and still hold up. I love seeing new bands, but being able to experience a whole venue full of people singing songs you grew up with is something even more spectacular.
Check out photos of the evening below, and see where you can catch Third Eye Blind on the rest of their tour here.
Acts To Get There Early For: Pitchfork Festival 2022
Pitchfork Festival returns to its usual slot at Union Park this July, after taking place in September last year. The annual music fest will feature some of our favorite acts as headliners, like The National, Mitski, and The Roots—among other performers like Japanese Breakfast, Toro y Moi, Parquet Courts and Lucy Dacus. As always though, the P4k line up is packed with tons of hidden gems that will put on incredible sets. Tune in below to hear some of the acts of the festival that ANCHR will be showing up early to Union Park to catch.
Friday
Ethel Cain
Photo by Helen Kirbo
Singer songwriter Ethel Cain writes about some harrowing and dark themes, but she has mastered the craft of depicting sadness in her music through such a refined and beautiful lens. Cain delivers these stories with reverberated, ethereal vocals and captivating melodies that make it hard not to become instantly enchanted by the songs “A House in Nebraska,” “Hard Times,” and “Crush”—just to name a few.
Cain grew up in a Southern Baptist family in Florida and sang in the choir, but ultimately left the churn as a teen when she came out to her family as gay. On her twentieth birthday, Cain came out publicly as a transgender woman. Cain nods to her religious upbringing with the title of her debut record Preacher’s Daughter, which was just released in May of 2022. The debut album follows up the EPs Golden Age and Inbred, which Cain released in 2019 and 2021 respectively.
If you’re looking for a festival set that will get you feeling all your feelings, while also sounding absolutely stunning, do not miss Ethel Cain at Pitchfork on Friday.
Start With: “American Teenager,” “Gibson Girl” and “Crush”
For Fans Of: Hatchie, MUNA, Zola Jesus
Where to catch her: 1:45-2:25 pm, Red Stage
SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE
Photo by Peggy Fioretti
Here at ANCHR, we love a good experimental rock band, so naturally, we’re fans of SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE. The Philadelphia-based band has had a history of rotating members, but currently the group is composed of Zack Schwartz, Rivka Ravede, and Corey Wichlin— who all wear multiple hats for the band, contributing everything from vocals, keys, guitar, bass and drums. The shuffling around of band duties likely contributes to the diverse and expansive genre-sphere that the group has created.
The band’s name comes from a 1973 Spanish film with the same title, which is fitting because their sound has a cinematic quality to it. The band describes their song “THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN'T DO” from their 4th album ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH as being one showcases the growth they’ve undergone from their inception to current day. "This song draws on some of the sonic aesthetic of SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE's old records and aligns those sounds with the electronic instrumentation we've been exploring," Wichlin says.
SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE will certainly keep us on our toes during their performance, which makes them a perfect way to kick off the festival on Friday afternoon.
Start With: “There’s Nothing You Can’t Do,” “fell asleep with a vision"" and “Natural Devotion”
For Fans Of: Squid, Dry Cleaning, black midi
Where to catch them: 2:30-3:15 pm, Green Stage
Saturday
Jeff Parker & the New Breed
Photo by Jim Newberry
At ANCHR, we also love a versatile artist, and with Jeff Parker, there’s not much he hasn’t dabbled in. Parker was born in Bridgeport, CT and has been making music since 1991, pushing boundaries with his guitar playing and composing via an array of collaborations. Parker is a member of the band Tortoise, and has also worked with the likes of Andrew Bird, Yo La Tengo, and George Lewis—just to name a few.
There’s a effortlessly breezy tone to Parker’s style, which incorporates everything from jazz to folk to rock to pop. The bio on Parker’s website says his works “explore and exploit the contrary relationships between tradition and technology, improvisation and composition, and the familiar and the abstract” and that truly comes across as you listen through his catalog of music.
Parker also has local ties to Chicago as a founding member of the groups Isotope 217˚ and Chicago Underground. If you’re looking for a festival set that will be equal parts fascinating and soothing, make sure you catch Jeff Parker & the New Breed. We think it will be the perfect way to kick off the second day of the festival.
Start With: “Suffolk,” “Cliche” and “Soul Love”
For Fans Of: Anderson .Paak, Tortoise, Ben LaMar Gay
Where to catch them 1:00-1:40pm, Green Stage
Chubby and the Gang
Photo courtesy of Sonic PR
While Charlie, aka "Chubby,” Manning-Walker of Chubby and the Gang has been involved with different bands in the British scene since 2004, he only formed this variation of an ensemble in 2019. The West London-based group consists of Ethan Stahl, Tom "Razor" Hardwick, Maegan Brooks Mills and Joe McMahon alongside Manning-Walker. The lineup is composed of different members of hardcore punk bands Arms Race, Vile Spirit and Gutter Knife.
Similarly to the bands they came from, Chubby and the Gang’s songs have a classic punk feel to them, full of bright drumbeats and cheeky lyrics—but they also mix in other genres and influences. In the short few years since the group formed, Chubby and the Gang has already released two full-length albums, including their sophomore release The Mutt’s Nuts, which was produced by Jonah Falco of Fucked Up and put out via Partisan Records. Most recently, Chubby and the Gang added an EP to their discography, entitled Labour of Love, and aptly released on Valentine’s Day this year.
I have yet to see the band perform, but I just know they’re going to be great at getting the crowd amped up and ready to take on the second day of Pitchfork Festival.
Start With: “Coming Up Tough,” I Hate The Radio” and “All Along The Uxbridge Road”
For Fans Of: Turnstile, PUP, Fontaines D.C.
Where to catch them: 2:30-3:15pm:, Green Stage
Sunday
L’Rain
ANCHR’s Sunday picks are all about the vibes and escapism. L’Rain is a Brooklyn-based singer and musician who composes experimental and mesmerizing songs— imagine losing yourself in a soundbath in the rain, and that’s kind of what L’Rain’s “Heavy (But Not In Wait)” feels like to me.
L’Rain is the moniker for Taja Cheek, who grew up around family with a music business background— her dad worked in music marketing and promotion and her grandfather owned a jazz club. Cheek’s moniker is also a tribute to her mother, Lorraine C. Porter, who unfortunately passed away before Cheek released her debut album.
L’Rain’s music has such a glossy fluidity to it, and that’s probably in part due to the ballet and dance that Cheek studied while growing up. In addition to dance, Cheek learned to play a multitude of different instruments— including bass, piano and cello. As if that’s not all, Cheek even studied music and American Studies while attending Yale, no big deal.
To date, L’Rain has put out two albums; 2017’s self-titled debut and 2021’s Fatigue. Be sure to attend her set on Sunday and drift away to a mix of L’Rain’s unique musical stylings.
Start With: “Find It,” “Two Face” and “Heavy (But Not In Wait)”
For Fans Of: Circuit des Yeux, Cassandra Jenkins, Animal Collective
Where to catch them 1:45-2:25pm, Red Stage
KAINA
Photo by Dennis Larance
Like I said, the Sunday acts are all about the escapism vibes, and Chicago’s own KAINA has the silky smooth vocals and dreamy tunes to help you drift into your personal oasis at Pitchfork.
KAINA is a first-generation Latina and was born and raised in Chicago, and she does an incredible job of composing her songs so that they fuse together Latin-inspired sounds with Chicago soul and blues. You can hear her influences shine through, yet her sound is something completely unique.
In addition to the Chicago influences that we’ll hear in KAINA’s set, there’s a strong chance we’ll see some other hometown artists joining her onstage at the fest— she’s collaborated with Sen Morimoto, Saba, and Nnamdi just to name a few. I’m also looking forward to hearing songs from KAINA’s sophomore album It Was a Home, which was released this year as a follow up to 2019’s debut Next to The Sun.
There’s a lot going wrong in the world right now, but I have no doubt we can all temporarily sway away our problems while watching KAINA.
Start With: “Golden Mirror,” “Could Be a Curse” and “Apple”
For Fans Of: Jamila Woods, Cuco, Wet
Where to catch her: 2:30-3:15pm, Green Stage
See the full Pitchfork Festival schedule here, and get ready by listening to the playlist below.
Live Recap: The Strokes Return to the Metro Stage in Support of Kina Collins
This past Friday night, The Strokes returned to the Metro stage to perform there for the first time since 2001. The special event was in support of Kina Collins, a Democratic candidate running for Congress in IL-07, and it marked only the third ever political fundraiser concert that The Strokes have put on (one of those being for Bernie Sanders in 2020).
The event sold out extremely fast, but some fans from all over the country managed to snag highly coveted tickets to be able to hear some of their favorite songs in such an intimate setting. As the lucky ticket-holders queued up to make their way into Metro, Collins walked to line for an impromptu meet and greet with the concert attendees. For the fans that missed Collins walking through the line, they got a chance to hear her speak ahead of the musical performance. Collins was born and raised in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago, and she made it clear in her speech that she is passionate about making our city and this country a safer and more sustainable place for everyone. Collins backs universal health care, gun violence prevention and the Green New Deal, among many other issues. You can read more about Collins platform here.
Collins was thanked with overwhelming cheers when she said she “worked really hard to get this concert here for y’all” and told everyone about her experiencing meeting Julian Casablancas in New York. The anticipation and energy in the room sky rocketed when Collins said that Casablancas and his bandmates, Nick Valensi, Albert Hammond Jr., Nikolai Fraiture, and Fabrizio Moretti, would be on the stage momentarily. For unknown reasons, The Strokes actually hit the stage about 40 minutes later, but the energy and excitement (along with the heat) only continued to build, and it made it that much more sweet when the band finally began, launching into their song “Bad Decisions” from their 2020 album The New Abnormal.
The 14-song setlist contained a great mix of some of The Strokes newest material from the aforementioned record, as well as many of their hits throughout the years— like “Someday” from their debut Is This It and “You Only Live Once” from First Impressions of Earth. No matter what song they were performing, everyone in the room was eagerly singing along and dancing. The last time I’d seen The Strokes, they headlined at Lollapalooza, so it was nice to experience them going back to their roots and play in such a scaled back setting.
As their show neared the end, Casablancas made sure to endorse Kina Collins once more. He scanned the room for her and said, “Where’s Kina? Wherever you are, I love you, good luck.” He added, “She’s the best and I think she will represent this great city in Washington pretty greatly.” Casablancas also mentioned that Chance the Rapper and Common, fellow Chicagoans and musicians, support Collins— and joked that The Belushi brothers even back her.
The evening wrapped up with a 3-song encore, featuring “Eternal Summer,” “What Ever Happened?” and the grand finale of “Last Nite”—which had an extended introduction that featured Casablancas doing some auto-tune vocal improv before smoothly transitioning into the song’s iconic guitar riff.
Check out photos from the entire evening below, and make sure you vote in the Illinois primary election on June 28th. You can get more information about voting and polling locations here.
PHOTOS: Post Animal and Stuyedeyed at Metro
This past Friday night, Post Animal and Stuyedeyed kicked off the weekend with a wild show at Metro—bringing the tour in honor of Post Animal’s new album Love Gibberish to a close. In addition to being a homecoming for the headliners, the night featured a lot of new music, crowd surfing, and some special appearances from fellow Chicago musicians like Cadien Lake James and V.V. Lightbody. Check out the photo recap below, and see where you can catch Post Animal next here.
Live Recap: Sigur Rós at The Auditorium Theatre
A band you can’t easily sing to but you can most definitely heal to.
Sigur Rós cleansed the minds of the Auditorium Theatre attendees with 2 full extraordinary sets. Saturday evenings never sounded so soothing, especially after a 6 year absence (at least from Chicago).
The first set utilized a leisurely pace to bring us back into the warm and familiar embrace of Jonsi’s falsettos, with the first 3 tracks from () Untitled, the band’s third album. When “Svenfln-g-englar” kicked off next, you could see some head swaying and soft energy trickling through the crowd. From the classic light bulb filled set flickering through a heavy fog, the specific guitar moaning sound from the singer’s cello bow, to the guitar filtered yelling moment.. we were grounded and we were ready.
Throughout the set, the band alternated their playing positions. One song would be performed with each of the members isolated in their space but weaved together by the long twisted strings hanging from above. The next would gather all 4 of them to Kjartan Sveinsson’s side of the stage, who rejoined the band after nearly a decade. These latter performances brought a different and more intimate experience, feeling as close as I’d ever get to a living room show with Sigur Rós.
After 10 songs and a short intermission, the band returned with a slightly changed set. The long strings were now untwisted and Glosoli brought the energtic vibes back up.
If during the first set we were reminded of a lot of () Untitled songs, the second one was more heavy on Takk classics, performing about a third of the album. Lights were dancing in blue and green hues in a very “northern lights” way and the mountains were peaking through the big screens behind the band. It was as if we travelled across the ocean and lived in their little Icelandic world.
One of the highlights was when Jonsi held a 30 second long silence in the middle of a song and the crowd started filling the gap: “I love you”, “thank you” or “spaghetti” cheered the air. Jonsi continued the song with no reaction but when the second big moment of silence happened… everybody kept completely quiet. EVERYBODY. As a reward, when the song picked back up and the rest of the band joined in, Jonsi started acknowledging the crowd for the first time. He rocked his guitar and advanced towards the crowd, moving to all sides of the stage, yelling and making eye contact. All of a sudden, we were all up on our feet, dancing and cheering. Yes, you read that right. There was dancing at a Sigur Rós show. And jumping too.
The band has been recording their first proper album since 2013, and blessed our little ears with 2 new songs, sprinkled throughout both sets. Everything came to a close with “Popplagio”, the last track on ()Untitled, bringing it back full circle. The evening had us hearing almost the entirety of that album.
If you missed out on the event, check out photos of the evening below, and see where you can catch the tour next here.
Live Recap: Dehd's Sold Out Hometown Show with Pixel Grip and 81355
There’s nothing better than a hometown show, and Dehd confirmed that with their sold out extravaganza at Metro this past Saturday night.
Even before the first act of the night 81355 (pronounced “Bless”), the venue was already packed and getting more full by the minute. Unlike most shows I go to, the band members of 81355 didn’t just come onstage when it was their time— they received a dazzling introduction from the host and MC of the evening, Alex Grelle. Grelle got the crowd going with a captivating performance of “Take My Breath Away” while the projection screen reflected the logo of Top Gun Maverick. It was an unexpected opening to the night, but it certainly grabbed mine and everyone else in the venue’s attention. When it came time for 81355 to hit the stage, the group from Indianapolis continued to captivate the room with their genre-bending performance. The collaborative collective featured a full band and a mix of rapping and singing from members Sirius Blvck, Oreo Jones, and Sedcairn Archives.
Next up, Chicago-based trio Pixel Grip geared up to take the stage— but not without a warm welcome from Grelle again. This time Grelle entertained the venue with a wet t-shirt contest, drenching himself with a pitcher of water. Again, not something you see every day at a concert, but everyone loved it. The crowd also enthusiastically enjoyed the set from Pixel Grip, which featured a swirl of bass-heavy synths, pop vocals and atmospheric electronic melodies— all complemented by moody lighting and thick fog. During their set, vocalist Rita Lukea received a tattoo onstage that read “Dehd Forver” from Emily Kempf, which was yet another unforgettable moment of the gig.
The night only continued to get more spectacular when Grelle made the final introduction of the evening— this time donning an angel costume to reprise the role of “Angela the Angel” from Dehd’s “Loner” music video. Grelle welcomed Dehd’s members Emily Kempf, Jason Balla, and Eric McGrady to the stage to close out the show, and the trio launched into their single “Loner” alongside Grelle— essentially recreating the music video IRL. The set continued on with lots of fan favorites like “Lucky” and “Haha” from Dehd’s earlier catalog, mixed in with some fresh material from their brand new album Blue Skies. My favorite song off the new record is the single “Bad Love,” which I got to hear live for the first time at the show. The track possesses a feel-good, triumphant vibe that would be perfect for the soundtrack of a coming-of-age film. It was certainly the perfect fit for a sold out gig at Metro at the start of Summer.
Dehd wrapped up the evening with an encore performance that featured Pixel Grip and 81355 rejoining them onstage to perform “Desire.”
The entire evening provided a great mix of music with a diverse line up that once again showcased what an incredible music scene we have here in Chicago. Check out photos from the evening below, and see where you catch Dehd next here.
Live Recap: Bastille's Give Me The Future Tour Brings a Futuristic Rave to The Sylvee
“But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?” We all know and love those lyrics from Bastille’s infectiously catchy massive hit song “Pompeii” right? As I was walking into The Sylvee in Madison, Wisconsin on a warm and sunny Wednesday evening, I couldn’t help but relate the current scene to those lyrics— While we’re in year three of dealing with a global pandemic and a lot has in fact changed in recent years, attending a Bastille show with fellow fans felt like a necessary safehaven in the midst of all this external chaos. It felt so eerily normal to be experiencing the spectacle that is Bastille’s Give Me The Future tour that it was easy to forget that so much has changed since they last toured North America for their album Doom Days.
The evening kicked off with a support set from Josh Fudge, who mentioned it was his and his band’s first time in Wisconsin. The audience welcomed the indie-pop singer songwriter from Oklahoma City with open arms and enthusiasm as he performed a few songs from his 2021 album Fun Times. Fudge mentioned that the rest of his set would be packed with new and unreleased music from his forthcoming record called Technicolor. Despite the unfamiliarity of the new music, the audience eagerly soaked up the feel-good tunes as they got warmed up for the main event.
Before we knew it, the stage had been set for Bastille’s immersive and intricate production; high risers loomed on the dark stage and a massive screen provided a backdrop to it all. As fog pumped out into the room, shadows of the band members appeared onstage as an introduction video about the band’s fictional concept “Future Inc.” featuring a Siri-esque narrator began playing on the big screen. From there, lead singer Dan Smith sang out the opening lines to “Stay Awake?” in front of a silhouetted spotlight and everyone dove straight into a futuristic rave full of dancing and escapism, aptly fitting in with the latest album’s title Give Me The Future. In the next song “Distorted Light Beam”, Smith proclaims “when I'm dreaming tonight, I can do anything” and those lyrics set everyone up for a euphoric experience.
Just as the audience never stopped dancing and jumping around during the 90-minute set, Smith rarely stayed in one section of the stage for more than a few seconds— he would occasionally drape himself across the chaise lounge positioned on one of the risers for slower moments, but otherwise he remained on the go, hopping across the stage and dancing to accentuate certain lyrics (for example, during “Those Nights,” Smith physically tugged at his own t-shirt as he sang “Pulling at my t-shirt, your hands everywhere.”) In addition to Smith’s dance moves, captivating visuals accompanied each song on the screen to make the live experience that much more immersive.
Between certain tracks, the lights would dim and audio interludes that were used on the album (such as “Promises” featuring Riz Ahmed) would play as a transition. Along with these interludes, Smith occasionally chatted between songs. He sarcastically stated “the album surprisingly is fucking depressing” about Give Me The Future, as the depressing undertones in the majority of their songs have been a constant throughout their entire discography. Take “survivin’”— the track features a simple, breezy and melodic chorus, which Smith asked the crowd to sing along with before they played it, but it details the feeling of auto-pilot survival mode that so many of us were on during the pandemic.
After performing a couple newer songs from the latest album as well as a stripped-down acoustic version of “4AM” from their third album, the main section of the setlist ended with a pinnacle of high energy. While playing the Marshmello collaboration “Happier,” Smith left his post onstage and wandered throughout the GA section of the floor, stopping at random points to dance and sing with members of the audience. The dancing didn’t stop there, though— when performing the mashup cover “Of The Night” (a cross between “Rhythm is a Dancer” and “The Rhythm of the Night”), Smith asked everyone in the crowd to kneel down before the chorus and then join him in jumping up and down. Next up, vocalist BIM got her moment to shine— actually, she’d been a star the whole set, adding depth to the band’s vocals— but she really showcased her vocals during the performance “Future Holds,” even leaving Smith kneeling down and mock-worshipping her by the end of the song.
Finally, the moment that the majority of the crowd had been waiting for: the band began playing the melody to “Pompeii.” The song’s introduction featured a brand-new arrangement for this tour, adding some spice back into the familiar favorite. The refreshed arrangement started with reverb-drenched synths and auto-tune vocals, which gave me nods of Bon Iver or Imogen Heap influences, as Smith slowly asked the familiar question “But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like nothing changed at all. If you close your eyes, does it almost feel like you’ve been here before?” Aside from the new material, revamped production and revitalized arrangements that Bastille had on this tour, in that moment, hearing this song felt like such a familiar comfort—like returning home after a long trip away.
While it felt like the night couldn’t get any more special, the band left the stage to echoes of “Eh Ohs” before quickly returning for a two-song encore. The encore featured the unreleased and harmony-packed “Hope For The Future” as well as the single “Shut Off The Lights” which had everyone dancing until the very last moment.
If you get a chance to catch Bastille on this tour, do not miss it. Their show mixes the warm embrace of nostalgia with lots of cuts from their debut Bad Blood along with the unknown and suspenseful elements of the future. Check out the photo gallery of the show below, and see where you can catch Bastille next here.
