As Tramlines warmups go, a trip down to the Leadmill to catch Bombay Bicycle Club (who are also in warmup mode this evening) don’t come much better.
On the Thursday before the city-wide festival of music kicked off in earnest (21st July), the Crouch End indie veterans (? I mean, they’ve been around a while now, right?) took to the Leadmill stage ahead of their own weekend festival slot at Truck Festival.
Despite the last-minute-ish announcement, the Leadmill is sold out and gig goers are packed into the main room ready to get in the party spirit (there were, it has to be said, a few near me who had peaked a little too early and were getting a bit spicy!)
Handbags aside, Bombay Bicycle Club wasted no time getting things pumping for the right reasons, opening up with a euphoric rendition of Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing but You), before ramping things up further with Is it Real, and a blistering Shuffle.
Three songs in and we’re grinning ear to ear. There’s no rust. They’re on top form.
Joining Jack Steadman and the guys on a busy stage this evening is a three-piece brass section, along with superb backing from Rae Morris (we think. We didn’t quite catch Jack’s introduction; such was the volume of the crowd between songs). Her vocals take centre stage for a left-field cover of Selena Gomez’s Lose You to Love You, which was a lovely addition to the set.
Other set highlights include favourites Dust on the Ground and Lights Out, Words Gone and an outing for newish material from their latest album, which was released just before the pandemic and was aptly titled Everything Has Gone Wrong.
The set closes with Carry Me, before they return for an encore including Always Like This. Nostalgia levels topped up, life fully affirmed, we shuffle out of the Leadmill very happy in the knowledge the weekend is up and running and we’re fully set up for Tramlines.
