Photo by Benjamin Gordon of Hard Rock Hotel

Just a day after they rocked Coachella weekend one, British rockers Bombay Bicycle Club had things moving and shaking at the Hard Rock Vinyl in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

I chose to see the band that night as a way to help make my Coachella conflict decision easier. They play the same time as BANKS, so I figured catching them at their own gig would make it easier to skip them next weekend at Coachella. Instead, the reverse happened as they put on a killer show, making it tough to even consider skipping them next weekend.

The five-piece band are touring in support of their latest album, So Long, See You Tomorrow. A large portion of the crowd was hip to their song selection both old and new and the energy they brought to the stage had the crowd nearly euphoric.

Bombay’s pacing was great, they knew when to mix things up and slow them down before jumping back into their more dance heavy tunes.

Photo by Benjamin Gordon of Hard Rock Hotel

“Eyes For You” was one such slow song that had the crowd in respectful silence, to which even vocalist Jack Steadman remarked, “That was the quietest and most respectful crowd we ever had.”

Steadman’s unique vocals are part of what sets Bombay’s sound apart from other same genre acts. He brought his A-game, though the band was definitely aided by the backup vocals of Liz Lawrence, who joined them for the majority of the set.

“Home By Now” was one such song where Lawrence’s vocals shined best. She also harmonized well behind Steadman’s lead vocals, giving their sound an added dimension.

PHOTOS: Bombay Bicycle Club at Coachella 2014

The band got their biggest response to their 2010 hit “Always Like This” with it’s catchy and easy to remember lyrics. Bombay closed things up at a high point with “Carry Me”, another song with an infectious hook that refused to leave your brain when the show wrapped up.

Photo by Benjamin Gordon of Hard Rock Hotel

The Hard Rock Vinyl has been booking awesome smaller acts in their small room the past few years. A few girls actually made the drive from Los Angeles specifically to see Bombay Bicycle Club play that show and their live show will only help further develop a following.

There was no better way to begin Coachella week two than catching them in action, though I’m not looking forward to the tough decision that awaits me when they play Saturday afternoon.

Words: Mark E. Ortega

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