Review by Lauren Heno
Bastille returned to Portsmouth to take on the Guildhall stage as part of their Winter Tour, celebrating their recent success with their number one album Bad Blood.
The four-piece band, which played some of their first gigs at Southsea Fest in 2011, got the night off to a great start, performing the title track of their latest album.
They then went on to sing the well-known hit Things We Lost in the Fire, before playing a range of new tracks to their small, but dedicated crowd.
There was a growing feeling of sameness across their songs as the gig continued, allowing the audience to appreciate the decision to include new, unreleased tracks, adding variety throughout the set list.
Dan Smith (lead vocals) and the band, gave a simple, yet crafted performance. They did, however, fail to interact with the audience throughout their performance until the hit song Flaws, when Smith took to the crowd and performed from the Circle Seating.
The band, which played at a range of festivals throughout the summer, including Reading and Glastonbury, brought the crowd to life when they returned for a three-song encore.
Their energetic and powerful closing performance kicked off with Get Home, followed by Of the Night. The final song, Pompeii, which reached number two in the UK charts, definitely lifted the ceiling off the Guildhall. Smith carried the song extremely well as he belted the lyrics to the crowd, who showed their true dedication as they sang along.
Their performance overall was one to remember as they truly connected with the audience in their simple, but personal production. They were highly enthusiastic throughout most of the gig, which was appreciated, and returned, by the level of excitement that was released from the crowd.
The band showed off their true talent as their strong performance proved very similar to their recorded track – a rare thing in the music industry.
Their first support act of the night was Bipolar Sunshine, a solo Manchester-based star who blends disco, house and funk music together. He set the night off to a great start, pulling off an upbeat, catchy performance that had the whole audience hooked.
He was shortly followed by To Kill A King – a band already fairly well established with Bastille fans. They interacted well with the crowd and prepared them for what was to come. Their set consisted of tracks off their debut album, Cannibals with Cutlery. The crowd were then both shocked and excited when Bastille took to the stage to join them for the track, Choices, which proved to be a special moment for them all.
Bastille have created a new style and sound in their latest tracks using a guitar. Something they had not done before.
They have released five dates for their Bad Blood Part III Tour in 2014, which will undoubtedly include their latest creations.