We are Londoning!: October Surprises (Bastille, Keane & Hurts)

Enjoying any of these 3 bands (Bastille, Keane and Hurts) live was no surprise at all, as I’d had the chance of doing that already with the 3 of them in different venues and atmospheres, but the each gig had an element of revelation this time around.

The first time I saw Bastille was as part of the iTunes festival when they supported Emelie Sande. I thought they sounded good at the time, with some electronic bits over the pop music. They lead singer, Dan, was quite shy kind of hiding behind the keyboards. However, when he came out with his hoodie on at Brixton Academy we all knew that would be a great concert – one of my friends, recognised fan, had already anticipated that as long as he was engaged from the first minute, we will witness a great gig and so we did. Energy came out of the band from the minute they started and it kept on coming for the 1.5hours concert, also including a version of the Rhythm of the Night that only the ones old enough managed to enjoy dearly.

The case of Keane is a bit different, as I’ve been utterly smitten to the band for years, so I have seen them plenty of times in different scenarios including the Sherwood Forrest. But this time they were doing a ‘small’ concert but I didn’t realise how small until I almost was able to touch Tim (Rice-Oxley) being 4 rows back. The venue in the middle of Kent was so tiny that S described it as being in our living room. I think I was close to dying of happiness and I have to admit that it was one of the best nights ever!

Last but not least is Hurts – I couldn’t have imagined the display of force they will produce in the audience (by the looks of it in the end the lead singer was quite astonished as well) from what I saw of the in Chalk Farm or Somerset House quite some time ago. It is also true that it was not after the second gig I went to (Somerset House summer of 2011) that I read about Hurts heavy tendency to party, including orgies, and also destroying hotels. But it wasn’t until Saturday’s concert that I actually believe them capable of doing anything like that. Not everyone gets a sold-out Troxy on their feet and bouncing like maniacs. Certainly a great night that kept on going for a few hours after the concert…