Glass Animals continued with the beginning of the Dreamland Tour this Wednesday, performing within the O2 Academy in support of many people’s favourite lockdown album, also titled ‘Dreamland’. It is safe to say that this show was massively anticipated by many, after being delayed from the 16th of May earlier this year, and it was evident as soon as we arrived.
The tour was supported by the band ‘Biig Piig’, whose laid back and chilled sound blended perfectly with the aesthetic of the Dreamland Tour, becoming what I thought to be a great addition; however, it was obvious that as the night continued, the atmosphere and suspense was building up to something I have very rarely experienced, especially considering it has been a long time since we have seen something on such a big scale.
After much anticipation (and a 40-minute wait) the stage had been set with a nostalgic feel, utilizing a gigantic faux computer screen behind the stage, incorporating that old 2000’s Windows feel along with diving boards, basketball hoops, mixed perfectly together with a pastel purple colour scheme, which was beyond doubt the aesthetic they were aiming for. Subsequently, a countdown had begun set by the same computer screen, mimicking the download screen, and Glass Animals had finally taken centre stage to a massive reception. From that second on, the crowd was very much in Dave Bayley’s hands, the lead singer of the band. They had begun with a fan favourite, ‘Life Itself’, from their second studio album ‘How to be a Human Being’, which was clearly a fan favourite as myself and the people that surrounded me began dancing, singing and ultimately ready for more, which broke out into the hit song ‘Tangerine’, another fan favourite, and the first song they performed from their most recent album ‘Dreamland’, becoming a seemingly perfect introduction to the performance.
The band incorporated all the nostalgic set pieces and backgrounds into each song, creating an all-around slick and seemingly atmospheric performance, especially with songs such as ‘Waterfalls Coming Out of Your Mouth’ and ‘The Other Side of Paradise’, the latter being one of their most popular songs of the night. Dave and the rest of the band continued the journey through the closely knitted together setlist, containing both earlier songs from their discography and newer songs alike. I think it’s safe to say Dave’s energy never once faltered, dancing, moving and running seemingly through every song, soldiering through and delivering the most energetic and thorough performance that I have ever seen an individual give, even with songs such as ‘It’s All So Incredibly Loud’ and ‘Space Ghost Coast to Coast’, whether that be spinning round in circles or beating his chest to each beat drop.
The dazzling lights and atmospheric performance continued, blending into more popular songs such as ‘Youth’, showing the sentimental nature of childhood in the background, while giving an electric performance to one of my favourite songs within their discography, which continued through to a ‘Pork Soda’, which rapidly became my biggest highlight of the night showcasing additional guitar riffs, while Dave continued to bounce off the energy of each band member. Of course, the night couldn’t end there as the band attempted to tease by walking off, continuing through to a final performance of the hit song ‘Heat Waves’, which was very clearly the fan favourite, getting everyone to sing along including myself, all while the set continued to blend with elegant and beautiful colours.
Just like that, the setlist had finished, and after a massive applause, Glass Animals had left the stage for the final time, promising to be back in Birmingham soon. Although the singing of the crowd was ‘All so incredibly loud’, I don’t think anything can compare to the electricity of the night, whether that be with the atmosphere of the people around me, or the energetic and extravagant performance that Dave had given. Ever since the concert had finished it is safe to say I have wanted to relive every second of the night through the obscene number of videos we had taken, and I for one, cannot wait to see them return.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
