Bastille Electrified Audience at The Factory Tuesday

Sean Derrick June 3, 2022 0 Comments Bastille, Bim Amoako, Saint Louis concert review and photos, The Factory

— by Laura Tucker

We’ve Seen the Future….. and it was Electrifying!

Just ask the fans who saw Bastille perform at the The Factory in Chesterfield on Tuesday night.

The English band with the incredibly unique sound that somehow matches their French name with absolute perfection, played to a packed house; and everyone there seemed to be a true Bastille fan. They started the show with “Stay Awake” from their fourth and latest album Give Me the Future, and the crowd was engaged from the moment it began. Maximum energy was exchanged between the band and the audience throughout the night. The mostly-millennial audience seemed to already have the new album (produced by One Republic’s front man, Ryan Tedder) on download and they followed along flawlessly.

Lead Singer, Dan Smith (born on Bastille Day) has a very common name with an uncommonly great voice that is soothing and haunting and just plain perfect for the name it represents. With catchy fills and beautiful harmonies, band mates Will Farquarson – guitar, Chris “Woody” Wood- drums, and Kyle Simmons – keyboard support his vocals with equal distinction and just seem to know exactly how to bring the sound together. It’s hard to put it into words but I think authentic, comes close. As Dan mentioned during the show, their music sounds upbeat but the lyrics are actually a bit depressing. Maybe that’s what draws us in.

The award-winning quartet came to popularity in 2013 with “Pompeii” from their freshman album “Bad Blood” But there was no bad blood tonight, the fans were crazy for the performance with the futuristic vibe. The screen above the stage took us through sequences of scenes from the past, present and future. There was everything from DaVinci’s “Creation of Adam” to an AI-inspired futuristic experience. This project was also the directorial debut of Dan Smith.

This tour includes a special guest, London Session Vocalist, Bim Amoako, who was featured in the track “Joy” from the album Doom Days. She was a lovely addition to the night and Dan introduced her with a (we’re not worthy) bow.

Bim Amoako performing with Bastille at The Factory Tuesday. Photo by Laura Tucker/Laura Tucker Photography.

The band played favorites from the past like “Happier” (sans Marshmallow), a snippet of “Flaws” in a medley, “Survivin’ and “Good Grief”. Incidentally, there is an amazing version of Good Grief (Live from Capitol Studios) on You Tube. If you’re a fan, check it out.

At one point, the spirited performance turned the Factory’s general admission floor space into a dance club with their rendition of (Rhythm) “Of the Night’. The floor seemed more like a giant trampoline as fans jumped to the beat. They wound down with “Hope for the Future” and the night ended with “Shut off the Lights”.