There is a notorious saying that states ‘you should never
meet your heroes’; I feel that the same sentiment should be applied to ‘you
should never review your favourite band’. Not because you will be disappointed
in their performance (they’re your favourite band for the love of god- you’re
going to enjoy it!), but because you’ll inevitably be disappointed in your
ability to accurately put into words just how great they really were. This is my attempt; this was Bombay Bicycle Club. . .
It is often said of by musicians that they have been on a
real ‘journey’ through their musical lifespan- normally it is portrayed as a
product of a major shift in a bands
career trajectory or an extreme change in sound between albums. A lot of the
time this ‘journey’ is hard to see. Not with Bombay Bicycle Club! Returning to
Newcastle’s O2 Academy following the major success of their latest Album So
Long See You Tomorrow, this London based four-piece’s metaphorical musical
journey was impossible to miss! This was achieved with the help of some
astonishingly mesmerizing visuals which were projected behind the band.
Animations adorned the Academy back wall; from literal depictions of human
figurines embarking on walks, runs, and boat journeys; to the wilting and
re-beginning of the life of a dandelion.
All in keeping with the ever-so artsy and sensitive nature of the Bombay
Bicycle Club we’ve grown to know and love since they’re first release I Had the
Blues but I Shook Them Loose in 2009. So much so that even guitarist Jamie
MacColl was finding it hard not to turn his back on the audience and stare up
at these pictorial delights.
Getting off to an sun-drenched atmospheric start showcasing
some tracks from So Long See You Tomorrow there was a short lived fear that
this show was not to be the lively event that have been the previous Bombay tours.
However, this fear was quashed when a selection of Bombay favourites from each
previous album began to burst out of singer Jack Steadman’s vocal chords to
liven up the evening. And liven up it did, to the extent that 3-piece horn
ensemble The Brass Notes appeared from the side lines to rework Bombay Bicycle
Club classics such as Always Like This. Breathing a new lease of energy into
these tracks and proving that Bombay Bicycle Club are a band that never stop
improving on their old material.
Attention to detail
on this tour was astounding, not only were Bombay Bicycle Club musically
exceptional with not a note out of place, but their lighting design was
intricate and beautiful. Each rendition (depending on its album) was flooded in
its own colour scheme- from cool blue, melancholy tones to warming yellows and
oranges that washed over every So Long See You Tomorrow track- a clear
reflection of the journey taken by front man Jack through India while writing
this album. A trip that’s presence can be heard within the album greatly.
Accompanying Bombay Bicycle Club on this tour were the backing vocals of Liz
Lawrence; a British singer song writer who has been described as “Florence
without the hollering”. For the most part Liz was kept to the back of the stage
providing a strong vocal harmony blending with jacks lead, but one cannot help
but think Lucy Rose did a slightly better job in previous years.
The success of Bombay Bicycle Club is undeniable; they have
penetrated a UK music chart which for the majority is adorned with drivel;
however, what is to be respected of this band is that they refuse to settle.
The determination to revisit old material, rework their style and sound to
elevate their audiences experience is refreshing and appears to be injecting
ever-growing confidence into once awkwardly reserved front man Jack. And I for
one cannot wait to see this tours performance again in the festival season sun.
Words: Dominique Daly
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