Bastille at the 3Arena

Rationale and Keywest get us into the mood as the night’s warm-up acts and both bands seemed to relish the fact that they are playing the 3Arena. Keywest are absolutely on fire, warming up the crowd so much that we fear we might get heat exhaustion before the main act even begin.

Delayed for half an hour by a televised skit which plays across the four screens that frame the 3Arena’s stage, people begin to grow antsy with waiting. It’s not that we’re impatient, but certainly I’d rather hear more of Keywest and less of a grumbling TV newscaster.

But when Bastille finally take to the stage, complete with string and brass section, all is completely forgiven. They open with ‘Set Me Free’ and the stage is lit up with montage videos. The silhouette of vocalist Dan Smith is visible as he dances energetically around the stage. As you watch the band strut with their “Wild World Corporation” t-shirts, you realise that Bastille have created their own brand, complete with an image, a signature, and a story. This is what arena-filling stars do when they hit the big time. Bastille have arrived at the next step of their career with aplomb. They’re having a moment and they know it.

After ‘Set Me Free’ comes hit after hit until Dan finally decides the moment is ripe to head into the crowd. He fights off a mob of adoring teenage fans as he makes it from one end of the arena to the other, gets on top of another podium, and sings ‘Flaws’ to a near-hysterical crowd.

Following this there’s a slight lull as Bastille play some lesser known songs. They’re not yet at that stage where every song is an instantly recognisable hit, but then again, they’re only two albums into an illustrious career…

The lull ends as they unleash ‘The Draw’ and bring everyone back to attention. Building from its grungy guitar opening, ‘The Draw’ pounds out a climactic finish that reverberates around the room. To add to this, the visuals – featuring shots of open city spaces and murky backstreets – are absolutely incredible. Whoever Bastille’s lights crew is, they all need to be paid double.

Bastille wrap things up with a cover of ‘Rhythm is a Dancer’ (it’s another race-through-the-crowd moment for Dan) and their new hit single ‘Good Grief’. They walk off stage and everyone waits for the encore. The problem for a band like Bastille is that, with ‘Pompeii’, they’ve got a song that’s so well renowned that everyone expects it now. They have to find ways of being less predictable.

Surprising us all, the lights fixate on a spot high up in the rafters where Dan is sitting out over a fire exit stairwell sixty feet up backed by guitarist Will Farquarson (on that note, the award for coolest, calmest guitar player goes to Will every time). From the rafters back to the main stage, Bastille lead into ‘Icarus’ from their Bad Blood album. It’s a song that proves beyond a doubt that Bastille do have lyrical depth as well as star power.

Then finally to ‘Pompeii’. Possibly the song of the year in 2013, ‘Pompeii’ is one of those near perfect pop-rock anthems. Bastille invite Keywest and Rationale on stage again to help them out with the drums and the chants then ask the crowd to sing along (as if any invitation is needed). The sight of all three of tonight’s acts on stage is truly a heartfelt moment and you can see how much it means for the support acts (it’s a big night for them too). ‘Pompeii’ plays out, Dan thanks us for coming, and we all leave euphoric.