The first act of the evening to grace the stage was SIVU [6/10] from St Ives and his band. Whilst not the most energetic of choices to open the night, considering the energy of the two bands who followed, SIVU produced an effortlessly soft and melodic collective of tracks that whilst didn’t exactly get the crowd moving, did provide an enchanting set.
The closet Midlands gig to their hometown, it was no surprise that Peace [9/10] fans were out in full force. Just another gig in their hefty tour schedule over the past few years, Peace proved that they are truly one of the UK’s best live bands of recent years as they flowed through sing-along indie anthems. The set was short yet explosive. Playing six tracks, they dedicated four spots to the most recent singles taken from the upcoming album Happy People. Set opener, last year’s pop rock single ‘Lovesick’ marked the crowd’s love as the lyrics were cried back to front man, Harrison Koisser who flounced around in a navy cape with his gold guitar. Classic Peace anthem, ‘Follow Baby’ proved to have that striking factor on the crowd the way it did when they first made their surge on the industry, whilst golden oldie ‘Wraith’ too appeared to remain a favourite as it etched its sensual funk through towards the end of the set. However, it was the new tracks that the quartet placed emphasis on. The huge single from the new year ‘Money’ still remained dominant, whilst ‘Lost On Me’ and new track ‘Gen Strange’ continued to deliver those plucky guitar pop beats.
Finishing with the lengthy 90s groove of ‘World Pleasure’, Samuel Koisser stood out with the soon to be infamous bass-line, that proved to be a perfect end to their whirlwind set.
After this year’s highly praised and raved about fourth album So Long, See You Tomorrow came a run of UK tour dates that saw the new album sparkle in a live setting. Some months later Bombay Bicycle Club (BBC) [9/10] are back on the stage, after a summer that saw them headline the NME stage at Reading and Leeds and dominate the festival circuit with exhilarating live performances. Entering the stage they reflected the same awkwardness they had years back, the difference now being the reception of the crowd, as ecstatic fans cheered them on. February’s album opener ‘Overdone’ leant its atmospheric tone to the set’s opening before the band continued to play a huge set composed of twenty-one tracks, delving into all four albums. Fans of BBC’s earlier albums were delighted with the noted appearance of ‘Rinse Me Down’ and ‘Ivy and Gold’ from the acoustic 2010 album, which provided a delicate and playful interlude from the vigorous guitar driven tracks and new electronic based songs. After the band delivered a further four tracks from the first album I Had the Blues But I Shook Them Loose. With a younger standing crowd, these tracks didn’t quite get the reception they deserved as opposed to the new known tracks. However, front man Jack Steadman proclaimed that the crowd were the most energetic of the tour so far.
BBC provided many highlights, with the accompaniment of brass sections, a rendition of Robyn’s ‘With Every Heartbeat’ and despite the recent reception of the newest album it appeared that the band remained humble, as they grinned throughout the set and interacted with the crowd. It appeared that even the support acts were impressed and enthused as they immersed themselves in the audience, Harrison Koisser from Peace appeared on someone’s shoulders, with a pint in each hand and still with the cape intact. The set closed with the rhythmic and dynamic ‘Carry Me’, which left the crowd in awe of the London four-piece.
With adoring fans and filling out venues like the Civic Hall, it’s apparent that Bombay’s rise has been a gradual but prominent one.
