I wondered what kind of crowd I might find inside as I approached Stylus for bôa’s ‘Whiplash’ tour.
19 years on from their last album and having previously called it a day, I thought I might come across some middle-aged fans, catching up with an old favorite. But, let’s take a second to talk about why bôa are back playing live and writing new music. As is increasingly the way, old songs will take on a new life as they find a home on social media. Their track Duvet blew up among animé fans and saw a huge resurgence on TikTok, bringing the band to a whole new audience. And its this crowd that is out in force at Leeds University, virtually selling out the room, ready to hear the viral social hit for real. They’re totally invested too. Around the venue, young fans are talking about what the band means to them, and why they’re obsessed.
First up though, Luxembourg band Francis of Delirium open things up to an enthusiastic reception. “We’re from a little place called Luxembourg” explains lead singer and guitarist Jana Bahrich. “Anyone know where that is?” To both her delight and amusement, there’s an enthusiastic cheer, which means the crowd are either very geographically knowledgeable or they’re lying! Whichever, it’s a level of engagement that we will get used to as the evening goes on. Bahrich and the band deliver a great set of indie-rock; lively, engaging with strong guitars and excellent bass lines. At the same time, there’s a sensitivity and vulnerability to their songs that really connects with the younger audience.
bôa take the stage to a huge reception and, far from just waiting for the band to play what has become by far their biggest hit, every word is sung back with absolute devotion.
Jasmine Rodgers, fronting the band, clearly enjoys the rediscovered popularity. With energy and genuine joy, she relishes the adoration of these young fans. It’s not long before we hear some of that new music, inspired by the reaction to Duvet. Whiplash – the title track of the new album – is the second song in an 18-song set. Around half of the new record makes an appearance and the crowd react well, with particularly strong responses to ‘Beautiful and Broken‘ and’ an acoustic version of ‘Frozen’. For the former, Rodgers enthusiasm gets the better of her and she just stops short of telling the crowd they are not” beautiful”, when what she meant was “you’re not broken”!
It’s a crowd in forgiving mood though, and they happily sing along to a song that seems to resonate widely. Almost half of the set list comes from their 2001 debut album ‘Twilight‘. Indeed, this accounts for much of the final section of the set before, finally, the opening chords to Duvet make a very welcome appearance. It’s been more than just a wait for the big hit though. There’s a genuine connection and many of this crowd, who were probably not born when ‘Twilight‘ was released, have clearly done their homework and fallen for bôa in their past, present and future.
