Bombay Bicycle Club, LIVE, Granada Theatre, Dallas Texas

I once went to Turkey based solely on an International Relations class I had taken.  I've risked over-zealous Serbian border guards to backpack into Kosovo where my dissertation was based. And of course there's the time I trekked over two continents to see Bright Eyes. I'm kinda big on pilgrimages. But I can't ever say I have driven 14 hours across 4 states to see a band. Well, I couldn't until yesterday. 

I first came across Bombay  Bicycle Club by virtue of their 2^nd album, the lovely stripped back ‘Flaws’, or as frontman Jack Steadman described it last night, their "easy listening" album. But, as they demonstrated over and over again last night, there is so much more depth to this band.

The first thing that hit me was big, fat, funky bass, and lots of it. The bassist looks like a classic 90s grunge bassist, and plays like it too. And I mean the in only the most complimentary of ways. (This wasn't the last time I would compare this band to a 90s grunge outfit, and that kind of surprised me. In a very pleasant way.)  In fact the whole rhythm section was ace. I know I always have a thing for a tightly functioning rhythm section but, as Miike Snow demonstrated, it can make or break a live show. In this case, chunky bass was met with another incredibly hard-working drummer, and helped along by some subtle but excellent synths.

‘Your Eyes’, from ‘A Difference Kind of Fix’ was perfectly complemented by an explosive version of ‘Dust on the Ground’ and ‘How Can you Swallow so Much Sleep?’. Energy was high and the small but perfectly formed crowd ate it up.

All night I was struck by the magnificent female vocals; earthy and rich, with a beautiful tone and an impressive range. I’ve noted the use of female vocals in a number of their albums and found myself wondering last night if this beautiful vocalist wasn’t perhaps – gasp moment ahead – slightly underutilised. In any case, the vocal strength of this band is everything to write home about – Steadman’s unique tone is as clever live as recorded, and at one point I did notice all 5 band members singing BVs. And I do love me a multitalented band.

Heavy on ‘A Different Kind of Fix’ as you’d expect, the band then moved into “quiet” mode, and totally wooed me with a delightful rendition of ‘Rinse Me Down’ from ‘Flaws’. I love ‘A Different Kind of Fix’, and I love this band when they’re making a wall of sound. But I also love ‘Flaws’ and it was a delight to hear a couple of numbers from the album. It takes a brave pasty Englishman to stand in front of a down home Texan audience and suggest a hoe-down, but that’s exactly what they did with ‘Ivy and Gold’ and the crowd loved every minute of it. 

Steadman moves with the kind of self-assured cockiness of an artist who really knows his craft – every syncopation, every hook, every drum beat. He is a joy to watch, and… that voice. I love bands that sound as good live as recorded, or better. I reckon Bombay is in the latter category. They blew me away.

After 14 hours driving I can’t remember every track that was played, but I was taken aback by the new song, ‘Carry Me’ in the encore – a tricky and technically very cleverly timed song, with an interesting melody that really challenged me, until it all fell together in a phenomenal crescendo of sound. Clever indeed.

My back still aches from the long drive, but the energy and pure musical skill of these guys had me dancing all night, and the trek to get here to see them was worth every second.