BASTILLE AT WHITE OAK MUSIC HALL IN HOUSTON
Bastille arrived in Houston for a stop on their “Doom Days Tour”. From the first note played, frontman Dan Smith had the audience in awe of their performance. The combination of Smith's electrifying energy and the massive stage production made for a truly memorable evening with Bastille.
The set consisted of three acts: 1. Still avoiding tomorrow, 2. Those Nights, and 3. The Morning doesn't reach us -- all of which included songs from all three of the band's studio albums. Throughout the performance, Smith came out into the crowd, sang, and danced with the audience. Despite the fact that they were playing a massive show with a huge crowd, it was their way of making it still feel super intimate.
At one point, the lead singer of supporting act, Joywave, Dan Armbruster, came out and sang “Bad Decisions” with the band after a hilarious bit of banter involving Dan Smith telling everyone at NASA in Houston earlier that day, while on a tour, that Armbruster didn't believe the moon landing was real. Moments like this were what helped to offset the, at times, gloomy indie rock tunes and lift everyone's spirits.
The Houston show was another example of Bastille's continued success and strength as a band in terms of withstanding all that comes with having mainstream success early on in one's career. Smith has taken their signature sound and reinvented it, making for a really exciting live show.
If you haven't seen Bastille, make sure to check them out on their next round of tour dates.