REVIEW – Bastille at Edinburgh Corn Exchange

It was only a year ago Bastille were playing Liquid Room which sold out on the day of the gig. A year on and they’ve managed to shift onto more substantial venues. The transition from studio to live is tremendous as they sound as if they have just pressed play, but less impressive is the commercial hype that surrounds them – they are basically dedicated towards one target group who dominated the front of the house on the night. For a band that has a great sense of potential this is a pity.

A ‘sold out’ Corn Exchange didn’t exactly appear a sell out with the rear right-hand side of the room looking fairly vacant. Nevertheless, a youthful crowd packed themselves right up to  the front, screaming at anything lead singer Dan Smith said while the more mature members of the audience dotted the back of the venue discussing what they are doing at the weekend during the slow songs.

Title track ‘Bad Blood’ began proceedings with what appeared to be a tame crowd. Dan Smith and Co. then moved up the gears a little bit and followed it with a hit ‘Weight of Living, Pt. II’ which throttled the crowd into elation. The lead singer’s ecstatic energy was praiseworthy as he attempted to take the fans with him, sometimes unsuccessfully. The crowd were essentially a roller coaster but it seemed that they were just there to listen to the hits.

Those other hits including ‘Icarus’, ‘Of The Night’, ‘Things We Lost In The Fire’, ‘Flaws’, and ‘Pompeii’ all received appreciative responses from the audience. Whenever an unfamiliar or quiet number like ‘Overjoyed’ arrived, it flattened – which is rather sad to see.

In my view, after a handful of songs, Smith’s voice became monotone and the screeching of fans was by then overwhelming. He’s a captivating frontman who grabs the attention of the audience, so this is a little disappointing.

Bastille still need to do more – they should be playing arenas, they need global success, and ought to be remembered for their songs. Somehow, I don’t think that is happening right now.

Their sound is a bit confused, and with the talent they have, they could create something really wonderful. It is all Radio 1 filling blandness at present. The band are clearly talented enough to provide a lot more, but maybe they have to go away and dream it all up again.