Daughter, Warpain and Bastille for Open'er 2014

Daughter

Starting life in 2010 as an outlet for the musings of Elena and Igor, then fellow class-mates studying music in college, they soon gained attention with their self-released four-track EP, "His Young Heart", in April 2011, and the Communion Records sanctioned "The Wild Youth EP”. 2013 marked the release of their debut album, the much anticipated "If You Leave", a record that left many a fan and critic spellbound; "Word-in-the-ear intimate and mountain-range massive" (The Fly), "Staggeringly beautiful from beginning to close, a catharsis that’s both bracing and woozily amniotic" (The Line of Best Fit), "An album beautifully conceived as you follow from start to finish, riveted by the story it weaves and the emotion it bleeds" (Drowned In Sound).

Warpaint

Warpaint weave intricate guitar lines, hypnotic vocals and driving post punk rhythms into gorgeous, sprawling songs that skirt the line between psychedelia and intimacy. Both live and on record, Warpaint sound like they’re channeling something truly otherworldly, and mystical. The all-girl quartet from Los Angeles has toured incessantly over the last couple of years, sharing the stage with The xx, Band of Horses, Yeasayer, Akron Family, Javelin, and The Walkmen. They just released their critically-acclaimed sophomore album, 'Warpaint'.

Bastille

The word Bastille brings to mind revolution, change and the storming of the old by the spirit of the new. When London-based singer/songwriter Dan Smith called his band Bastille, he was merely thinking of his birthday, July 14, France’s Bastille Day. But for the biggest selling new British act of the last year this seems an ominously apt metaphor for their dramatic impact. The anthemic ‘Pompeii’, charted at number two and went on to become the second most streamed track of 2013, just behind Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’. The album, Bad Blood, followed, smashing in at number one and quickly achieving platinum status in the UK. The most downloaded album of 2013, and the second most-streamed, it’s since sold over 2 million copies worldwide. So far, the new year has seen them nominated for four BRIT Awards (British Breakthrough Act, British Group, British Album and Best Single for ‘Pompeii’).

T in the Park 2013 Sunday review

Sunday at T in the Park saw the sun burning down on the Balado site once again and as it was Bastille day, what better way to celebrate than going to see Bastille on the Radio One stage.

Bastille have come along way since we saw them in a tent at 2am at Rockness last year and the amount of people coming to see them was evidence of how popular they have become. Only a short 30 minute set from the boys though, playing through the hits from the album Bad Blood, the crowd were with them all the way and if that wasn't enough, it was lead singer Dan Smith's birthday so the crowd sang Happy Birthday to him. Finishing on the obvious hit Pompeii the guys did a sweet if short set.

After throwing a tweet out as to who we should go see next we received a reply from Manchester band Hurts that they were playing in King Tuts Wah Wah tent so we headed along to see what was happening. Greeting was an elaborate stage set with keyboard players up on elevated stages and as Lead singer Adam Anderson bellowing out songs with a deep brooding vocals. The band have been likened to Depeche Mode and Human League and its easy to see why with their electro-synth, intense stage presence and heartfelt lyrics. They had pulled a good crowd too and pleasing the crowd with old and new tracks alike kept them jumping and singing along through the entire set.

The Editors have always been a favourite of mine and with them playing the Radio One stage and not having seen them before it was a win win situation and I wasn't disappointed. Playing a strong set with anthems like Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors, Munich,Bones alongside new song A Ton of Love they made sure the fans and non-fans alike got what they wanted. Its hard to take your eyes Tom Smith with his intensity and dramatic eyes bearing down on you throughout the set and you forget how many hits they have had in their career.

Speaking of forgetting how many hits a band has had, The Stereophonics, played a hit-laden set. I personally thought I only knew about 3 or 4 songs but after the first few songs, I had already heard my quota so by the time Handbag and Gladrags and Feels Like the one had come around I was surprised how many I actually knew. Not sure though, if they should have been 2nd to the headline act as they didn't come across that enthusiastic but hey maybe that was just me and the fact that I felt it a lot of old hat.

Then onto the Headliners. Not much to say about The Killers that probably hasn't already been said. They never fail to impress and Brandon Flowers' total pleasure of being on stage only adds to the crowd euphoria as they run through their gauntlet of hits kicking of with Somebody told me much to the crowds utter joy and throwing in a few covers of Tiffany's I think we are alone now and Travis' Side didn't hurt either. Leaving the stage and returning for the encore with When We Were Young rounding off with Mr Brightside had the crowd screaming the lyrics and jumping around with the last bit of energy they could muster.

The crowds dispersed as a lone piper played Happy Birthday on stage and fireworks exploded on either side of the festival rounding off a fantastic 20th Birthday at T in the Park

Bastille announce biggest UK tour to date

To celebrate the release of their new single, ‘Flaws’, Bastille are pleased to announce their biggest tour to date. The band will appear at sixteen cities across the UK culminating in a show at London’s O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on Friday 28th March 2013.

Tickets go on general sale on Friday 26th October from
http://www.kililive.com/artists/bastille/

It seems there is no stopping London-based Bastille who’s ever increasing fanbase are clearly connecting with the band’s haunting melodies, strong narratives and rhythmic backbone.

A busy summer saw them play over 30 festivals, and culminated in a storming, tent-packed set at Reading and a live performance on BBC3. Having only released a couple of singles, and yet to release a debut album, Bastille have already sold out two headline tours this year and last week headlined London’s Koko, which sold out months in advance and saw fans ecstatically singing along to every word.

 ‘Flaws’ is the band’s third single to be released on Virgin records and has received great support across Radio 1 where the band has been championed by Huw Stephens and Greg James. The single was playlisted across XFM, 6 Music, NME, Absolute and Q Radio and received huge support from indie music bloggers.

Like many Bastille songs ‘Flaws’was written and initially recorded by lead singer, songwriter and producer Dan Smith in his bedroom on an old laptop. Like many of his songs, it sees a dialogue between characters who exist solely in the universe of each song. Like Regina Spektor, Dan's songs are his stories; vehicles to muse on things he wants to talk about and this resonates with their fans, who find a personal element to the music.

Given the indie music maelstrom it’s a rarity to see a band achieve so much in such a short space of time but Bastille are paving their own way, creating great pop songs that are both absorbing and genre-defining.

Sure to be one of the albums to watch for next year, Bastille’s ‘Bad Blood’ will be released in March 2013.


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