Bastille prove no stage is too big at Reading 2017

Bastille seem almost surprised to find themselves second top of the bill at Reading Festival. It’s understandable too. Theirs is a rise low on showy grandstanding, built on a foundation of enthusiastic and devoted fans, and an ear for a hook. Setting up camp on the airwaves, they’ve earned this the old fashioned way. What’s equally impressive is just how well they rise to the occasion. It’s no secret that Dan Smith isn’t always naturally comfortable with the limelight, but tonight you’d not guess. As master of ceremonies, he strides about the stage, rarely staying still for longer than strictly necessary. Channelling the band around him, he’s a big game player, and they don’t come much bigger than this. From the opening blast of ‘Send Them Off!’, the throwback bounce of ‘Flaws’ the falsetto blast of ‘Good Grief’ and the titanic finale of ‘Pompeii’, Bastille have firmly become a band. Not a band in the tradition of your average Reading band - they’ve got pop leanings that historically would have marked them out as more of a V Festival headliner in waiting - but in 2017 they fit like a glove. It’s a brave new world, and though Bastille are concerned with the darker side of the modern condition, they’ve found a way to thrive. / /