If you know me, you know I am a sucker for a live show. Once I see a performance live, I become obsessed. This is exactly what happened when I witnessed Bastille live a couple of weeks ago. At that moment, they were the best live performance I have ever seen. Going into this concert, I had no idea what to expect. I mean that in all aspects. I showed up to Kew Gardens, the venue in London where the concert was held, in leather pants somewhat expecting a mosh pit-type concert. You can say I completely misread the vibe because I walked in surrounded by families with picnic chairs. Although I was a bit wrongly dressed, I honestly didn’t feel that out of place. Because most of the people there were sitting down in the back, there was a section at the front of the stage for those standing, and my friend Ann Myrick and I were so close. I made eye contact with Dan Smith (the lead singer) multiple times that night, that’s how close. This concert was part of their ten-year reunion tour for Bad Blood, and to honor that, they played the entire album all the way through with encores of other popular songs. The whole time the band kept the energy up, making it impossible to not have fun. Dan even walked through the crowds during “Flaws” and “Happier,” which I loved. I think it is awesome when artists connect with their fans at concerts, making them feel seen and showing that artists are also regular people. I love all of their songs, so it is hard to choose which one I specifically want to write about. Recently, “The Weight of Living pt. II”  has been on a loop in my head (and was amazing seeing it live). I think this song speaks for itself and is better to leave the interpretation up to the listener.  But, the other one I got to see live was “Good Grief,” which reminds me of driving to school with my sisters. The majority of the time Emmy got the aux when driving to school, and there was one point during her junior year she would play this song on repeat. It has such happy vibes and I hope you give it a listen if you haven’t yet. 

Behind the Lyrics: 

“Good Grief” is defined as an exclamation expressing surprise, alarm, dismay, or some other, usually negative emotion. In an interview, Dan Smith claims the song is about “how bizarre grief and loss are, either literally because someone’s died or through the loss of a relationship.” He wanted the song to encompass all the different stages of grief, including denial, depression, and euphoria. Grief can be shown in so many different forms, and there is never a right way to grieve. Smith points out the awkwardness of being at a funeral and the different feelings circulating the room: “It could be a massive celebration of someone, or hugely sad. There could be moments of euphoria and people getting pissed and collapsing on the floor.” I always interpreted this song as the loss of a relationship and grieving what could have been, which I guess also applies to this meaning of the song. Despite the sad undertones of the song, I think it shows how powerful relationships and music can be because the emotions attached to the memory of someone can have them dancing to a song at the wrong place or time.