Bastille and Company Make the Palace Theatre Happier

Last updated on March 20th, 2019 at 07:21 pm

Earlier this week, alternative radio station Go 96.3 hosted their annual holiday Snow Show at the Palace Theatre in Saint Paul. Go Fam’ came bearing gifts in the forms of British indie rockers Bastille, LANY, Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes, and local rockers Last Import.

During the first major snowfall of the season, Snow Show had the perfect backdrop for the night, which started off with Last Import. This was my first exposure to this group and they left me wanting more.

Last Import is the best example of raw Twin Cities sound. Lead singer Emily Bjorke has a powerful voice which captured everyone’s attention. Their debut album will be dropping soon and I can’t wait. After listening to them more I would recommend their song “Money.”

Following Last Import was Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes. While taking photos for his set I found it quite difficult to be in the photo pit because this performer loved being at the edge of the stage and was very tall. I had to really get on my tip-toes to get the shots I needed.

Tallness aside, I have to say that Albert Hammond Jr. can seriously shred. I thoroughly enjoyed his entire performance and wish he had gone on longer. The length of sets was perhaps my only complaint of the night. Being an all-ages weeknight show, there was a hard 10:00 PM curfew.

Next up was California based group LANY. Apparently, Go 96.3 is the first radio station in the country to play this group. This is a fact I seriously respect. LANY is perfect for alternative radio. They have this blend of angsty lyrics, polished vocals, and youthful energy.

During LANY’s set, the group looked out into the audience and recognized some of their dedicated fans. Remarking that they have been here 12 times, they were super psyched to be back and playing what they said was their first radio show.

Read a LANY Throwback Review Here

My personal favorite moment from the set is when they performed their song “Thru These Tears” which has been playing frequently on Go 96.3. Additionally, during this set, I was next to a handful of superfans who were very entertaining to interact with.

Finally, Bastille hit the stage. Bastille has been one of my favorite acts since I saw them headline Snow Show in 2016. After the year the British group has had, I was excited to jam out to their new songs “Happier “and “Quarter Past Midnight.”

Opening with “Good Grief” off their 2016 release, Wild World, frontman Dan Smith led the audience with his signature blend of strange yet relatable dance moves. Calling himself the worst dancer in the room at one point, Smith’s confidence and personality captivated The Palace.

A high energy performer, Smith got up close and personal with the audience twice during the set. During the song “Two Evils” he appeared in the balcony. My favorite moment was during “Flaws” when he walked through the audience and I got up close and personal with him.

The highlight of the night was when Smith let the audience pick what song to play next. The audience picked the song “Of The Night” from one of Bastille’s mixtapes. The group then announced their 4^th mixtape will be dropping next week.

Although some moments in the set where exactly the same as their 2016 Snow Show performance, I can’t help but call Bastille one of the best live performers out there. Dan Smith’s accented singing voice is truly unique and worked perfectly in a live setting.

I owe a lot to Go Radio. As a college student, I worked with them as an intern at Go and loved the experience. This year’s holiday festival was proof of why they are the best radio station in the Twin Cities. I am thankful for the music they play, and this incredible line up of performers they brought for us.

Bastille Setlist:

1. Good Grief
2. Blame
3. Warmth
4. World Gone Mad
5. Laura Palmer
6. Bad Blood
7. Two Evils
8. Icarus
9. Happier
10. Send Them Off!
11. Flaws
12. Of The Night
13. Quarter Past Midnight
14. Pompeii