Gig review: Bastille at Motorpoint Arena

Bastille hit the mainstream in an era when post-apocalyptic themes dominated the media landscape. Book and film series including The Hunger Games and Divergent were at the peak of popularity, and in reflection, the music that sound-tracked that period of time also mirrored these dystopian themes. Pompeii, the band’s breakthrough hit, reflected on historical events rather than an unknown, uncertain future, but it still had that ‘end of the world as we know it’ feeling that lingered following 2012.

The track was “really about what happened in Pompeii and the city,” according to vocalist Dan Smith, but as the band’s career went on, the lyrical content became much more rooted in reality; “Tell me, did you see the news last night?” he questions on Warmth, a track from their sophomore record Wild World. The album as a whole reflected on the turbulent political situation of the time, from the Brexit referendum here in the UK to the (first) election of Donald Trump over the pond.

On their third outing Doom Days they took this theme a step further, using the album’s tracklist to recount the story of a night at a party while the ongoing apocalypse blazes outside. The title track hauntingly tackles topics such as phone addiction (“Think I’m addicted to my phone / My scrolling horror show”) which were all too real six years ago, but TikTok hadn’t even reached the peak of its popularity yet. We hadn’t experienced the pandemic. If anything, in reflection, 2019 seems relatively… alright… compared to whatever is going on in 2025.

For anyone who has never delved into Bastille’s lyrics, or those who only know them from their radio singles, this lyrical depth may surprise you. After all, when you think of politically-driven bands, names such as Kneecap and Bob Vylan will likely spring to mind much more quickly, due to newsworthy moments that have taken place this year. But while Bastille’s voice is undeniably quieter, it is not silent – a watermelon sticker was placed in plain sight, on the back of their piano, throughout their set.

As a result, the band’s music is remarkably moving when performed in the present day. Doom Days itself was perhaps the most notable moment of the set; the song’s powerful lyrics were projected aggressively behind the stage in black and white, depicted in bold block capitals mimicking newspaper headlines. It felt like the venue – and the world – had come to a halt, as if everyone else in the arena had come to a standstill, or had simply ceased to exist for a few minutes.

Their set combined this reflection on the state of the world with blissful, naïve escapism in equal measures. Of The Night was a clear highlight mid-set; it was performed during the show’s Other People’s Heartaches section, where the band rallied around a DJ turntable as they performed a medley of covers that have all played a special part in the band’s fifteen year career, including What Would You Do? and No Angels, a fusion of Angels by the XX and 90s anthem No Scrubs.

Even the unreleased Save My Soul felt like a fan-favourite, after Smith taught the crowd parts of the song and instructed them to perform them with the same passion they would show for the “Eh, eheu, eheu” song later on in the set.

This would come in the encore, when they were joined on stage by support act, singer/songwriter Finn Forster, who had showcased his alternative indie sound earlier in the evening. 

This was the band’s first appearance in Nottingham since 2022, so it’s no surprise that fans were flocking to the front, desperate to get the best view possible. However, it was disappointing to see no less than five members of the crowd having to be removed, and it definitely impacted the show with Smith having to stop and start proceedings multiple times. While sometimes this cannot be helped, it’s an important reminder to look after yourself and make sure you drink plenty of water before attending shows at venues like the Arena. 

As the final notes of Pompeii rang out and the crowd’s chorus echoed through the arena, it felt like a full-circle moment – 15 years of anthems, ongoing apocalypses and resilience distilled into one night. Bastille’s music has always grappled with the end of the world, but in Nottingham, it felt like a celebration of surviving it together.

Bastille performed at Motorpoint Arena on 9th November 2025, with support from Finn Forster and Bradley Simpson.

@bastilledan