Bastille proved worth the wait at their postponed appearance at The Forum
Subscribe
X

Get the latest from Beat

22.01.2019

Bastille proved worth the wait at their postponed appearance at The Forum

Forum Melbourne

In their first visit to Australia in over four years, Bastille fans were ready and raring to go as the British indie pop band took to the stage at The Forum on Friday night.

With the show originally scheduled for September of last year, it was clear fans didn’t let the postponement deter them, as the quartet entered what was a brimming venue. 

Opening with ‘Good Grief’ from their second studio album, Wild World, there was an instant release of energy among the crowd as lead vocalist Dan Smith so eloquently sung the words “watching through my fingers.” The room felt as though it had burst like a pin prick to a balloon. The obvious pent up longing and excitement to experience the band live – whether for the first time or once again – that the entirety of the room was sharing in, was suddenly released. The crowd was in immediate ecstasy.

Followed by a collection of tracks from both 2016’s Wild World and 2013’s Bad Blood, the energy remained, as the chemistry between the band and audience members only climbed. Shortly into the set, Smith declared it was time to slow things down, coming in with ‘World Gone Mad’. A real heartwrencher of a track, a sea of phone lights filled the room amid swaying arms, as a new sense of emotion among crowd members was thrown into the mix; a pivotal – and arguably crucial – moment at any live show. The crowd was suddenly in unison, and the connection between each individual and the music was unparalleled. 

Pulling off a moment like this is no easy feat for any artist or band, however, Smith’s next-level engagement with the audience paired with the bands’ impressive live delivery saw them do it oh-so well. 

Momentarily disappearing from the stage, Smith only took things up another notch, appearing above the crowd, where he was seated through the upper-level balustrade. Pushing forward with track ‘Two Evils’, audience members were left basking in the afterglow of what might have felt like a personal serenade, looking up to Smith as he sung “Oh you and I, you and I”. 

With Smith returning to the stage, the band moved into hit tracks such as ‘Things We Lost In The Fire’, ‘Happier’, ‘Bad Blood’ and ‘Send Them Off!’, which saw the energy of the room shift once again. People were dancing and the party was well and truly in full swing. 

Nodding to the recently released news of their forthcoming third album due for release this year, Smith dropped word that the following track would be the album’s opener. The audience began screaming with excitement, and were met with  ‘Quarter Past Midnight’. It was a solid choice seeing as each and every lyric was relayed back to the band by a sea of ecstatic fans.

Drawing the night to a close with what might be the bands’ most well-known and widely adored track, ‘Pompeii’, there was no denying the extent to which these boys can hold a crowd. Every gaze intently focused, every mouth relaying every lyric, every body moving in unison with every beat. With a live performance as strong and captivating as this one, it’s no wonder fans were itching to see their return to Australia.

Highlight: The overhead serenade by Smith. 

Lowlight: The obnoxiously loud punters to the right of me who snapchatted the ENTIRE gig.

Crowd Favourite: When Smith made a round of the venue and wandered throughout the crowd, allowing fans in every corner to get a little closer.