Bastille Sparkle in Special Candlelit Night in Edinburgh

★★★★★ (5/5)

BASTILLE PRESENTS… “&” PERFORMING AT EDINBURGH’S ST MARY’S CHURCH
PHOTOCREDIT: JOE HORRIDGE

This was always going to be a unique evening. Not only was Bastille’s Dan Smith sharing previously unheard music from the Band’s new album ‘ ”&” (Ampersand)’, but the night was hosted in the stunning and atmospheric St Mary’s Cathedral, with its striking arches dimly lit by hundreds of candles.

Before the gig, the audience was strangely quiet, with a mix of reverence for the surroundings and anticipation. Conversations were muted as they settled into the Cathedral’s pews. The candles made for a magical and intimate feel with the crowd wrapped in darkness.

The stage was placed in the Cathedral’s centre, set behind a bank of candles, an amazing sight. The band walked onto the stage. Dan welcomed and thanked the crowd, and the band kicked off the set with ‘Intros & Narrators’. The sound was full but stripped back compared to the album track. The five-piece band of musicians provided a laid-back, acoustic sound that surged and flowed around the high vaulted ceiling and was captivating from the first note.

Smith’s voice is front and centre in the album and was prominent in the cathedral. He felt the nerves and shared this with the crowd. They cheered back their support.

‘Seasons & Narcissus’, a story-song about the myth of Persephone, saw Dan’s vocal supported by sweet harmonies from long-term collaborator Charlie Barnes. The Cathedral brought the beauty out of the voices and showcased Smith’s clever lyrics. “Love's the madness on the breeze. Just one look, I'm falling like the leaves. Laying tender at your feet I think it'll be the death of me”

The Album’s tracks are Smith’s reflections on historical relationships, real and imagined. In ‘Emily and Her Penthouse in the Sky’ he reassesses the life of poet Emily Dickinson. The five-voice choir filled the vast room and was given added strength and depth by the amazing acoustics. It might have been one of the first times they had performed these tunes but they were well rehearsed and professional.

Dan let the crowd know that the next track was his favourite from the Album. ‘Eve & Paradise Loss’ lived up to the billing. It’s a stunning love song and the vocals from the two talented female musicians were beautiful.

Dan apologised for the pretentious title of ‘Drawbridge & The Baroness’, another favourite. This was the premier for this tune. Again, this song was driven by amazing vocals from the acapella opening to Dan’s falsetto chorus. It was a stunning and passionate love song. “I do stupid shit for love, like a sucker for connection”. A remarkable tune.

‘Leonard and Marianne’ was a reflection on Leonard Cohen’s stormy relationship with Marianne Jensen, his muse. Smith’s singing was passionate and he absolutely committed to it.

The band stepped away from the Album for one tune, a fan favourite, ‘Pompeii’. It was stripped back and spare, not the stadium anthem it has become. It received the best reception of the night to that point.

When Dan was around 14, he found his father’s poems about a road trip with his mum, and turned one into his first song, ‘Telegraph Road’. For ‘&’ he has reworked that and added a verse reflecting on his relationship with his parents. The song built up from a simple start, with Charlie and Dan playing quietly together to an impressive crescendo from the full band. At its conclusion, the room was silent for seconds before delivering a huge cheer. A reflection of Smith’s immaculate storytelling.

There was a strong folk vibe to ‘Red Wine & Wilde’, a passionate love song reflecting on the forbidden relationship between Oscar Wilde and his lover Lord Alfred ‘Bosie’ Douglas. The performance again showcased Dan’s wide vocal range.

This short, but memorable, gig concluded with a tune about the life of artist Edward Munch, ‘Blue Sky & The Painter’, a sad song with an upbeat chorus that, I’m sure, will be belted out across huge stadia and festivals in the future. The hooky “Is that a blue sky? Is that a blue sky? It's about damn time, yeah, it's about damn time” was picked up quickly by the audience whose singing filled the gothic arches of the cathedral.

The audience leapt to their feet when it ended, cheering and clapping. And the band clapped back, delighted with the reception. An unforgettable and beautiful night drew to a close.

With ‘ ”&” (Ampersand)’, Dan Smith has produced something really special, a story-driven, lyrically powerful album that will delight those who take the time to listen to it. In a stunning 19th Century, lit by candles with a stripped-back performance from a group of talented musicians, it was unforgettable.