Bastille & Joywave – The Met – Philadelphia, PA – September 16, 2019 (A PopEntertainment.com Con

Updated: Feb 19, 2020

Bastille & Joywave – The Met – Philadelphia, PA – September 16, 2019

Bastille, a British indie/pop rock band, began making waves in 2010. Originally, Bastille was a solo project involving Dan Smith, now lead singer. Eventually the lineup gained Chris Wood on drums, Kyle Simmons on keys, and William Farquarson on guitar and bass.

Bastille started gaining popularity following the release of their first album, Bad Blood, in 2013. Their hit song “Pompeii” peaked on the Billboard Top 100 at #4 in 2014. Since then, the group has become familiar with the top of the charts with last year’s release of “Happier” with Marshmello, peaking at #2 on the Top 100.

Last night Bastille kicked off their Doom Days World Tour at The Met Philly alongside indie rock band, Joywave, consisting of energetic lead singer Dan Armbruster, Joseph Morinelli on guitar, Paul Brenner on drums, Kevin Mahoney on bass, and Benjamin Bailey on keys. The energy inside and out of the venue was positive and exciting, with a queue stretched along Broad Street. A wide range of ages attended the show – from young kids attending with their parents, to teenagers, to adults. Regardless of age, everyone was in for a good night.

Shortly after entering the venue, the lights dimmed and Joywave stepped onto the stage. They began their set with a new single “Like a Kennedy,” released earlier this year. Later they performed hit song “Tongues” from album How Do You Feel Now? and the crowd went wild.

Towards the end of their set, lead singer Armbruster mentioned that Joywave will be releasing a new record in March 2020 titled Possession, as well as announcing a tour in the spring, in which they will be playing a show in Philadelphia. Closing out their performance, the band played “Obsession” and fans sang every word. Each member put on an amazing performance, despite this being the first show of the tour. The lights were brought back up and everyone patiently waited for Bastille.

At 9:00 sharp, the lights went back down, and excitement buzzed through the venue. A visual of an analog clock appeared, alongside a window with the curtains drawn to reveal approaching flames in the distance. Later in the set, singer Dan Smith explained their latest album took place over the course of a single night before the apocalypse, hence the flames and clock.

The intro to “Quarter Past Midnight” from their new album Doom Days began to play and every single person got out of their seat. The energy in the venue was astounding. The setup of the stage was simplistic with only a ladder, couch, and TV, but the visuals shown behind were the second most beautiful part of the show, next to the music.

When “Happier” began, every person belted the words, and everyone became one for the length of the song. During “The Waves,” visually captivating graphics of an ocean covered the backing screen, stunning the crowd.

Towards the end of the set, Bastille began performing “Flaws” from their 2013 album Bad Blood. To everyone’s surprise, Smith stepped down into the crowd and zig-zagged through the pit, dancing with fans along the way. He even went to the back of the venue to greet fans that were not right at the front. This was a stunning moment in the show, it truly showed the connection between an artist and their fans.

After leaving the stage for a few seconds, Bastille returned. The visuals on the screen showed that the fire had completely wiped out the city, and everyone knew it was time for their favorite song. They began playing their most well-known song, “Pompeii” from the album Bad Blood, and everyone danced and sang along.

The immense amount of talent in both Joywave and Bastille’s performances made for a great show. I would highly recommend that everyone see the Doom Days Tour, it was a night I will never forget.

Kayla Mara