Bastille at the O2 Arena
Three years on from their last appearance, British quartet Bastille return to the O2 Arena with a show that feels equal parts reckoning and celebration; an homage to 15 years of restlessness, reinvention and sheer pop audacity. From All Sides is more than just a tour name; it’s a lens through which the band celebrates its past, present and future.
The gig opens in a quietly devastating way. Keyboardist Kyle Simmons takes to a piano at the left of the stage, his delicate playing framing a stripped-back version of Things We Lost in the Fire. Joined by Dan Smith, whose vocals are piercing and smooth, the duo is bathed in amber light. The moment is intimate and intentional, hushing the crowd in a way that captivates even the most casual of fans. As the piano fades, the full band steps in, and the stage erupts with confidence. Old blends seamlessly into new: Shut Off the Lights glows with effervescence, its shimmering synths and punchy chorus building the energy early, whereas a guest appearance by singer Myles Smith breathes new life into a rendition of the group’s early hit Flaws.
As the songs unfold, the night moves with the ease of a band who have spent a decade and a half honing their craft. Lesser-known tracks are threaded through the set list with care, accessible whether you were there in 2010 or simply wandered in tonight. New offering Save My Soul goes down a treat as Smith conducts the crowd in a singalong. It’s punchy, retrospective, and a declaration that Bastille are back, doing what they do best.
Midset, the O2 transforms. LED screens flare into neon as lasers sweep across the venue and a DJ deck appears centre stage, signalling the start of the Other People’s Heartache segment. A medley of numbers from the band’s mixtapes momentarily turns the arena into a club night, their versatility on full unapologetic display as they shift seamlessly between moods without it ever feeling forced.
Later, lovingly titled the “most depressing part of the set”, a stunning duet on Hope for the Future between Smith and touring vocalist AK Patterson casts a warm glow over the arena before the atmosphere snaps into something sharper. Doom Days erupts with strobing lights and Smith’s tightly coiled anger, his commentary on the state of the world delivered with visceral intensity.
Not everything goes smoothly, and that is part of the charm. When a medical emergency in the audience pauses the show, Smith slips into quick-thinking improvisation. “How many old Bastille songs can I cram into this section?” he asks, flipping through their repertoire like a book and delivering deep cuts off the cuff as if planned, albeit a few forgotten lyrics along the way. Joking through the chaos, he declares: “Collectively pretend that never happened.”
By the beginning of closer Pompeii, the O2 feels electric, intimate and expansive all at once. Arms rise and voices tangle as the arena buzzes with collective euphoria. There’s particular poignancy in the lyrics as devotees whose lives have been soundtracked by Bastille’s music belt out in unison, “Does it almost feel like nothing’s changed at all?”
From All Sides is not a wallow in nostalgia or a greatest-hits showcase. It is a love letter to the fans who have been there from the first note, and a warm welcome to those who have joined along the way. After three years away, Bastille return not only with pop bangers, but with heart, charisma and an open-armed invitation to follow them wherever they go next.
Katherine Parry
Photos: Mike Garnell
For further information and future events, visit Bastille’s website here.
Watch the video for Doom Days here:
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