Last night (09/25/13) I saw Bastille headline the Phoenix concert hall in Toronto. I'll tell you right now it was one of my favourite concerts this year.
I'll start with the openers, first was Nightmare & The Cat, from Los Angeles (or so their Twitter tells me). They were a chill band with a lot of cool looking instruments. Not that they were unusual, they were just shiny and big and pretty. Moving on. They had a male lead vocalist and a female doing harmonies and guest bits. I didn't know this band beforehand so don't expect me to spout out facts about the actual members. I'm just gonna tell you what I think. Their band name was fitting, the music they played was almost haunting, I can't explain it but I got an Adams Family vibe. The female vocal was very strong and crooning. It was used sparingly, so as not to ruin the effect. Their music made me bop my head and I'll definitely be checking out their new EP, Simple.
Their website: http://nightmareandthecat.com/
Next up was Little Daylight from Brooklyn. They had a similar sound to Nightmare & the Cat and Bastille, and were a good choice for this tour, I wanted to dance.They were a little more peppy, so it made sense they came right before Bastille. The female vocals were somewhat similar to Best Coast or Lights, very energetic and simple, unlike that of the previous band. I want to compare them to Matt & Kim for some reason. They also used alternating vocals which switches things up a bit and is becoming more common with bands, an example being We Are The In Crowd, although they have a very different sound.
You can check out their SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/littledaylight
One thing I hope for when seeing a band live is that they sound just as good if not better than the recordings and this band definitely pulled through. They had the typical setup with drums and a keyboard and guitars but they also had electronic effects which helped because of the nature of their work. They created an atmosphere, surrounding you with music and instrumentals and the whole crowd was mesmerised. The only thing I could compare the experience to would be an Owl City concert. I saw him last September and was sceptical because most of his music relies on electronics but you really got every piece of the song and some added bits.
They performed a cover of What Would You Do? which was probably my favourite of the set. Everyone in the venue really got into it and sang along and it got really intense and all-encompassing and that is the best thing to witness, to be a part of. (you can find a studio recording of the cover here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHppImpaofQ and there's a free download link in the description) You can just imagine how that would sound live. I'll give you a hint: PHENOMENAL.
Another notable moment was when Dan weaved through the crowd during "Flaws." Everyone went absolutely mental and it was awesome.
Some other great performances were Things We Lost In The Fire (because the buildup and chorus get me so pumped), Weight Of Living (just a personal favourite), and Pompeii (it's the single and it was the last song and everyone knew every word), and finally, Rhythm Of The Night because it got everyone off their feet and is just a really fun song, I suggest you find a live video and see for yourself.
This last part had nothing to do with the music but I must comment on the light show this band put on. I know a lot of bands that just use the venue lights but Bastille brought a few white spotlights and they really added to the show. They weren't always on but when they were, they were shining into the crowd or criss-crossing like you'd see outside a venue when a big event is happening, if you know what I mean. I was near the back of the crowd so I could see the entire stage and over everyone in front of me and from where I was, the venue looked amazing. I included a picture above that doesn't quite do it justice but you have to believe me. I am not one to rave on about lights (not entirely true) but this was truly a job well done by whoever is in charge of that kind of thing. It looked so beautiful.
All in all, I will be adding Bastille to the list of bands I try to see every time they're in town because they are great live. I'll also be looking up the openers and that is a sign of a good tour manager and/or coordinator. My only complaint is that it was originally going to be at the Opera House and I prefer that venue but I'll be fine.
I would rate this experience 4.5/5 and suggest anyone who likes Bastille to find out when they're coming to your city!