MONICAKE'S
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Bastille (stylised as BΔSTILLE) are an English rock band formed in London in 2010. They began as a solo project by singer-songwriter Dan Smith, who later decided to form a band.
Dan Campbell SMITH (14 July 1986) Lead vocals, Keyboards, Percussion and Producer
Kyle Jonathan SIMMONS (5 Feb 1988) Keyboards, Percussion, Bass, Backing Vocals
WilliamFARQUARSON (22 Sept1983) Bass,Keyboards,Acoustic Guitar,Backing Vocals
Chris "Woody" WOOD (6 July 1985) Drums,Backing Vocals
The name of the band derives from Bastille Day, an event celebrated on Daniel Smith's birthday, 14 July.
In December 2010, EMI Music announced that they had offered Bastille a record contract with Virgin Records. Their debut single, "Overjoyed" was subsequently released in April 2012.
Their second single, "Bad Blood" – which shares the same title as the band's first studio album, followed in August 2012, and achieved moderate success in the United Kingdom, charting at number ninety.
The third track to be taken from Bad Blood, titled "Flaws", became the group's first to enter the charts inside the Top 40, debuting at number twenty-one.
In February 2013, ahead of the release of their debut album, the band's fourth single, "Pompeii", was released to huge demand, charting at number two in the UK.
Their first studio album, titled Bad Blood, was released in March 2013 and debuted atop the UK Albums Chart
*From :Wikipedia*
I discovered the band when I watched a music channel, its was Pompeii video clip and immediately like it, the sound was pretty good and swinging. So I got the album and I really loved all the songs which is rare.
This band is different, difficult to position this guys, Indie - Pop, I don't reallly know how to describe them.
But the sound and the melody are so bewitching that you can't get tired of it and listen all day.
​The lyrics of each songs are interesting, they tell us a story invented by the writer, not from his own experience what I heard :p, its pretty impressive and its unusual.
About his voice, its so unique, such a tone of voice... You can hear his english accent when he sings, its astonishing and cute at the same time. As a french girl, I can totally recognize the lovely english accent.
On November 26th 2013, was my first gig to the Bataclan in Paris with my friend, it was SENSATIONAL , so cheerful and sold out.
Totally Perfect, the voice, the sound are amazing even better than in the album more rock in live.
The drums are very present, its pretty impressive how he can sing and hit at the same time as far as I know its quite tough, one day my cousin tried to learn me how to play drums, so difficult.
In spite of this, the singer jumped and danced, how can you not too, he dragged us along.
During, "Flaws", he walked into the crowd dancing and singing, so insane, unfortunately, it wasn't on my side.
Before to go to the gig, I don't really know the band, just their song.
When we get in, we waited 1 hour and met some nice girls in the crowd, I found a wikipedia of Bastille it was impressive how she knows about the band and how she explained to us who are they, their names, where they come from,... So nice... Even now, I'm still in contact with them, nice encounter.
Its amazing, just with 1 album, they are very successful in a short time, they won 1 Brits Awards " British Breakthrought Artist", this is huge, they deserved this awards. I wonder how their second album will be...
When you take look to their schedule, its insane all the dates... I wonder when they have the time to rest and enjoy their friends and family.
In live they are F*...... awesome, I really enjoyed this 2 gig, so much fun, dance, jump, sing what can I say, I have such energy...
I don't know why, but sometimes I really want to be a journalist, just to ask them some questions they don't ask, well, the average age of the band is in my age group, so it would be nice to know some stuff about their succes at this moment of life,... I should be a journalist, a conversion in progress in music ?!? Is it the time to change jobs :p
For sure, I'll go to see them again, will see the next album, I can't wait :)...
Me too but 3 years later
They released 2 albums of covers, they are pretty good, there are some songs that I loved when I was younger, City High "What would you do", my god, I remember, everybody dance and sing on it, same thing with "Of the night" the mash up between Corona and Snap! is so nice, so catchy and what about TLC "No scrubs" is one of the songs of my youth, so F*...... good.
​Then, the first album came out "Bad Blood", on March 2013, just one word AWESOME, on just their first album, they got so much success, its amazing.
They released "All this Bad Blood", an extended version of the album on November 2013, they added some new songs, My god, I love it too. "Durban skies" so lovely and "The Draw", more guitar's sound, so nice to hear.
I found out that the band did some video from the country where they went, its a nice concept, to be close and share their experiences in this different city.
I love it, so funny video, you have to check it on Bastille videos channel on Youtube.
On March, 10th 2014 was my second gig of Bastille, there is a funny story behind this. In fact, I knew there was a gig at the end of november 2013 in Paris but it was sold out and I was so disappointed.
On November 2013, Bastille announced they were coming back in Paris on March so I immediately get the ticket, and 2 weeks before the gig on november I found 2 tickets on internet, my god even if it was a little more expensive, I didn't care, I bought it and luckily it was a great show. Just to say that on march, normally, it must be my first gig of Bastille.
And folks, the gig on march my god was so much better, bigger venue " Casino de Paris ", the stage was beautiful, with the big screen at the back with a shape of big triangle, they improved their stage, they put some camera on each instrument and some part of the gig you saw the guys playing on the screen or some video from their video clip, so nice, I really like it.
The lights was more present, colourful and sometimes it killed my eyes maybe it was too much, there was some green, blue, fushia, yellow,....
About their performance, my god like I said it was so much better, they added more instrument, guitar's sound, so good, we saw Kyle (keyboard), played some bass, he went at the middle of the stage and show us how he played it, so funny and great performance, the sound was perfect, the lead singer Dan Smith was lovely, in live his voice is so good to hear even if this night we can heard on some song that he was sick ( at the end of the gig I had the confirmation).
Besides, Dan smith, was everywhere, they put some big box on each side of the stage, he climbed over singing, he was so hight that he could reach people on the balcony, and when he get down, he almost fell so insane.
As always, during the songs " Flaws " he went into the crowd but I wasn't standing this time, I was on the balcony, I would always impressed by the fact that he made it, it takes a lot of courage to face the crowd.
What else, Oh yeah, before the gig some girls distributed sticks of color and in the dark when you twisted it you get a fluorescent light, so wonderful to see this, it was a nice attention from them.
To resume the gig was awesome, so refreshing, they always knew how to drag us along, this time the crowd was more cheerful, singing, dancing, jumping, so nice to be part of this, during the song " Of the night " the crowd was so into it, Yeah Dan smith asked to get down, and jumped at a moment, so crazy and wonderful. (Video taken by me and you can watch more on my Youtube Channels, enjoy :) )
After the gig, I was so hungry that with my sister, we went to a Fast food, so good to eat after dancing, jumping and singing we were worn out. But we got the energy to come back in front of the venue, in order to see if we can catch some members of the band, we waited maybe 1h before to see them, first it was Will, the manager and the photographer, Gregory Nolan. My god, the manager was so nice that he distributed to us the setlist and luckily I get one.
Then Will came to sign some stuff and took some photos, when he was my turn, I was so happy to finally meet them ( Last gig I couldn't stay ), Will signed my setlist, such a lover, he was saying nice things to me as " so nice to meet you, you're lovely, ...." I asked to took a photo with him, he said yes, he grabbed my shoulders, bring closer his head, and hell yeah I got my photos, I thank him of course, and he got such a big smile, such a nice guy.
It may sound as a teenager girls, I know but well, it was surreal, when you love the musics of this guys for a moment and finally you can meet them well, your little girls side and your shyness came out, I confessed I looked and it sound ridiculous, don't pay attention to my face, I was so happy and exhausted.
Then, the others wasn't here yet, so I spoke to Gregory, he asked me if I enjoyed the shows and everything, and said to him that I love his photo, he did a really good job, and he thanked me, I took a photo with him, nice encounter, such a nice dude too, since we were on the street, he was the policeman, to warn the girls the cars is coming, watch out...
Then Woody, came out, I asked him to sign my setlist, with such a big beautiful smile, he did it. I asked for a photo, and we talked a little bit about the shows and he tapped my shoulders as I was his buddy, so funny, and thanked him, so nice, it was one of my best photo face with him and he made such a funny face.
Kyle came out too, he was pretty shy at first, so lovely, he signed and I took a photo, same thing as the others but I didn't spoke too much with him unfortunately. My sister told me that the last train was coming, but Dan wasn't here yet, I told her to wait a little bit.
Some girls asked to Woody and Kyle, to take a photo with this two, and hell yeah I wanted mine, Woody said no problem and Kyle was leaving, so I tapped his arms and asked him so he came back, :).
It was almost 1 a.m, and it was the time to leave to take the last train, so unhappy, that I couldn't see Dan, it would be fun to see him. So I left, and I saw the staff drinking beer on the street, at this time, I needed a beer to decompress, I was so tense.
Then, I knew that Dan came out 10min after we left, so unlucky.
To resume, it was so awesome to meet them, such lovely guys, despite the success, the guys are present for their fan, so nice, it was my first time waiting a band after their shows (yes I know despite the countless gig I did but I never had the chance or the strength to stay).
Since the last gig, the girls I met on november, told me that she saw them, so why or not, I wanted to try too, but I was pretty shy (maybe I should drink couple of drink before in order to decompress), I wanted to say so much things to them how great they are, tell to Will I have the same birthday day as him, see Dan and ask him some question that some journalist don't ask :p, but first of all greet him, it would be great.
Most of the girls this night was pretty young, maybe around 18 years olds, I felt a little ridiculous surrounded by her, I'm so much older then her. But well I don't care, there is no age to listen to this band. I'll hope to meet him one day.
