While you were away: Bastille were flawless

The indie-pop foursome are hardly strangers to the Oxford music scene – they’ve played shows from Cowley’s Gathering Festival to St. Hugh’s Ball – but their most recent gig garnered more hype and high-pitched screams (from the boys as much as the girls) than ever before.

Outside the O2 passers-by commented “Oh Bastille, they’re the new big thing aren’t they?” whilst inside hordes of tweens loudly and persistently reinforced the sentiment.

Upon entrance into the packed room I found myself hemmed against the bar by two 16 year olds getting off whilst their friends took photos of them and squealed. Thankfully I found refuge amongst some comparatively ‘elderly’ fans.

Despite ‘Bad Blood’ being Bastille’s first album, they’ve also racked up a number of mix-tapes and EPs that easily fill a headline set. They may be the ‘new big thing’, but have had a strong following for a couple years already. Well-known singles like ‘Flaws’ and ‘Pompeii’ are catchy, indie-pop at its best – powered forward by Dan Smith’s clean vocal.

However, the ‘pop’ label shouldn’t be overemphasised – Bastille’s song writing can claim plenty of fresh and complex melodies, especially when compared to a lot of other chart offerings.

Songs like ‘Get Home’ strip down to just piano and vocal, showing that Dan Smith’s range is as high as his ever-growing quiff. The crowd dutifully sang along to every song, each one with the strength and hook to merit release as a single.

The ‘Other Peoples’ Heartache’ mixes show more of an interesting edge – predominantly cover tracks cut with film quote samples. Where else will you hear a ‘pop’ band cover ‘Oh Holy Night’ interspersed with Macaulay Culkin in ‘Home Alone’?# Or lines from ‘Psycho’ prefacing TLC’s ‘No Scrubs’?

Their cover of ‘Rhythm of the Night’ was the most danceable track of the set, otherwise dominated by crowd singing, out-of-time clapping and awkward half-jumping.

Bastille’s soaring fame is clearly tiring. Before an interview with the Tab, the band admitted: ‘we’re already like ‘can we retire?!’ Early success such as theirs has spelt death for many bands in the past, but the fresh and upbeat nature of the tracks – as well as the hoards of teenage fans that crowded the venue – prove they’ll be around for a while yet.

Check out the Tab’s interview with Bastille before the gig for their thoughts on cinema, houseboats and Lana Del Ray here.

Catch Bastille at British music festivals in the summer, including The Secret Garden Party 25th-28th July. http://www.secretgardenparty.com/#!/information/line-up-a-z/