Bastille
House of Blues
April 23, 2014
Bastille could very well be the next Coldplay, OneRepublic or Ed Sheeran. The London-based quartet possesses all of the necessary characteristics and already has the world’s collective ear, but first they need to choose a direction.
Right now, their sound is too disjointed. The combination of soaring choruses and electronic tinges are underscored by Dan Smith’s accented vocals, creating a welcoming sound for music lovers of all types, but Bastille spreads itself too thin.
At a sold-out House of Blues Wednesday night, the up-and-coming group overlooked an exceedingly chatty audience for most of the night. Sweeping through nearly 20 songs in just over an hour with barely a pause, the four-piece never quite held the crowd’s attention.
During “Blame,” the band’s latest single, a heavy drumbeat and ominous bass line set the tone before the bottom dropped out during the chorus, at which point members of the crowd turned back toward the bars and continued talking among themselves. More than any other song, this seemed a fitting comparison for the evening’s entertainment as a whole.
It was well-hyped, but the delivery didn’t impress as much as it was expected to.
There’s no shortage of talent here, but Bastille needs to hone their sound. Their live act, when compared to their debut album Bad Blood, is a step in the right direction — less production, with a focus on vocals and percussion — but the group needs something to really set it apart from everyone else.
The potential is there, but Bastille still has a way to go.
Personal Bias: “Pompeii” caught my ear, and I wanted to hear how the rest of Bastille’s songs translated live.
Overheard In the Crowd: “That’s a basic bitch!”
Random Notebook Dump: Big shoutout to HOB’s Paige, whom it’s always a pleasure to see.Thanks for keeping me out of trouble.
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This article appears in The Museum Experience Guide April 2014.
