Bastille – Harbingers Of Doom – Music Madness Magazine

No, Armageddon isn’t coming but Bastille is! They are presently on tour across the US with their Doom Days Tour Part 1. As is the case with many of the great shows presented at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, this was a show not to be missed.

The evening kicked off with a set by Rochester, NY’s Joywave. These indie rockers have been doing their thing since 2010 and have released 2 albums. Their latest album, Content came out in 2017 and by the reaction of the crowd, their fans are anxious for the next release. The band has gained much notoriety from playing some big name festivals such as Leeds Festival, Coachella, and Lollapalooza. Their energy and enthusiasm is what no doubt attracts new fans and retains their older supporters.

The arena was full and anxious for the headliners to take the stage. When Bastille hit the stage, their adoring fans roared with delight. The band opened their set with “Quarter Past Midnight” which is the lead single off their latest album, Doom Days. For many in the crowd, time stood still until the last strains of their closing song, the 2013 hit, “Pompeii” faded out. In between they featured many songs from Doom Days with a healthy dose of old favorites mixed in. Joywave joined Bastille on stage for a rousing rendition of another new song, “Bad Decisions”. This was followed by “Flaws”, a cut off their debut album, Bad Blood. During “Flaws”, lead singer Dan Smith took a stroll into the audience to get closer to his fans.

The stage was set up rather uniquely. The audience was treated to a great view of drummer Chris “Woody” Wood. He was set up to the right of the stage (from the audience’s view) and was facing center stage rather than the typical arrangement of being in the middle facing outward. There was also several props around the stage. A chair and television sitting vacantly like props from The Twilight Zone. The most interesting item was a set of stairs. They were much like ones you’d find in a big box store to get items off a high shelf. During the song “Two Evils” Smith sat on the top step to deliver his vocals. He had a video back drop of a red full moon which created a stunning visual.

The Doom Days Tour Part 1 is a tour in support of Bastille’s latest release, Doom Days. It’s the third album for this world renowned band and was released in June of 2019. Several songs were released in advance of the album, building up the anticipation. The album peaked at #4 on the UK album chart and #5 on the US Billboard chart for the 9 years veterans. This leg of the tour continues through October 29th when it ends in Mexico City, Mexico. After that, the band hits the road to the UK and then Australia early in 2020. For complete tour dates, click here….. Bastille Tour Dates