After their whirlwind success through 2013, London Grammar embarked on a UK tour at the end of January, ending in Bristol on 17th February.
The O2 Academy in Bournemouth played host to the trio on Saturday 15th February, and rightfully so. Many of the original features can still be found inside the grade II listed building, which was originally opened as Boscombe Grand Theatre in 1895. All three band members commented on the venue, all describing it as beautiful.
The night was opened by Khushi, who actually played before I even made it inside the venue. Next up was a band called Say Lou Lou, who played an acoustic set that had a sound fairly reminiscent of London Grammar.
At just gone 9pm London Grammar took to the stage to be greeted by the cheers and applause of an adoring crowd. They opened their set with ‘Hey Now’, which is also the opener on their album ‘If You Wait’.
Throughout the set keyboard player, Dominic ‘Dot’ Major, showcased his ability to play an array of other instruments, which included drums, an electronic pad and even the djembe – a type of drums that originates from West Africa.
After a few songs, including ‘Shyer’, ‘Wasting My Young Years’ and ‘Flickers’ Hannah went backstage to rest her voice, leaving guitarist Dan Rothman with Dot to play an instrumental. Once Hannah had returned to the stage with her cup of tea they proceeded to play four more songs. The last of these four being their most successful single ‘Strong’, to end the set.
For the encore they played ‘Metal and dust’, featuring an extended drum solo; a perfect way to end the show.
The entire performance was superb. The intricacy of the music was not lost, which goes to show how well they have mastered their unique sound. Hannah’s gorgeous and enchanting vocals silenced the entire room during every song, creating a slightly haunting yet serene atmosphere.
A truly fantastic performance from an incredibly talented trio, an absolute must-see.
London Grammar – Wasting My Young Years (Official Video) on MUZU.TV.