May 28, 2022 – St. Paul, MN
If you’ve never heard of Bastille, let me paint you a picture: imagine if a British indie-pop band crash-landed from the future, armed with synths, cinematic angst, and enough anthems to soundtrack both your heartbreak and your house party. Led by the effortlessly charismatic Dan Smith—part vocalist, part emotional conduit—Bastille first broke through with their smash hit “Pompeii” and have since evolved into a genre-blending force of nature. They’re storytellers with a drum pad and a dream, known for unexpected collaborations and a sound that’s uniquely theirs: polished, poignant, and pulse-pounding.
On May 28, 2022, they brought their distinct brand of electro-pop prophecy to the Palace Theatre in St. Paul, MN—a venue that feels like the best-kept secret in live music. Tucked into downtown with a capacity that favors connection over spectacle, the Palace is a timeworn gem with velvet bones. It’s all gilded details and creaky charm, the kind of place where every show feels like it’s being performed just for you. And that night, it kind of was.
From the first beat, Bastille had the room in their grip. The lighting—moody, cinematic—danced with the synths. Every track built a different world, and somehow the band guided us from one to the next without missing a breath. But the moment that sealed it—the one that made the crowd erupt and then melt—was when Dan Smith stepped off the stage during “Happier.”
No catwalk. No barrier. Just him, moving through the crowd like he belonged there. The Palace is small enough that he didn’t just hop down for a verse—he journeyed, weaving his way all the way back to the bar, singing shoulder-to-shoulder with fans who suddenly found themselves part of the show. It was raw, joyful, a little chaotic—and utterly unforgettable. It turned the song from a performance into a shared experience, a singalong with hundreds of strangers who all, in that moment, felt seen.
Bastille’s sound has always hinted at a yearning for connection, and in a venue like the Palace, that message hit like a drumbeat to the heart. It wasn’t just a concert—it was a reminder of how music can collapse the space between us.
And for one night in St. Paul, Bastille didn’t just bring the house down—they walked through it, sang through it, and left it buzzing long after the final note.