I often think the best way to approach a gig is from a position of complete ignorance and, yet again, that was where I came from as I wandered into seeing Bastille. The London-based four-piece are phenomenally successful, with their debut album charting at Number One and their single Pompeii receiving almost eight million views on Youtube. All of this had passed me by.

But judging by the response they received from their full-throttle concert at the sold-out O2 Academy on Friday night, they seem to have some fans out there. And it wasn’t only the headliners who delighted — there were also a pair of excellent support acts.

First to take the stage were The Ramona Flowers, who produce throbbing electronic music accompanied by euphoric, uplifting melodies. They were an intriguing band and worth a listen but were quickly overshadowed by To Kill A King, who for me were the standout performance of the night.

The five-piece play gentle, subtle, folky music that exhorts intelligence as it expands and contracts — toying with the audience — to climax with euphoric, joyous and spine-tingling finales.

It was a truly beautiful music, added to greatly by the vocal harmonies of all five musicians. It almost required headphones for a proper listen to its intricacies. Sadly, the venue was full of too many excited youngsters who decided to talk through the set instead. Headliners Bastille were the opposite end of the spectrum, but what they lacked in subtlety they more than made up for with the sheer joy of their music. Their songs mostly feature dancebeats, blisteringly-paced bass riffs, eight-bit keyboard lines (think Mario Kart) and catchy melodies that you will be humming for days.

Their music is infectious and you cannot help but feel happy after listening to them. They are what pop music should be: uplifting and optimistic.

The middle of their set did seem to lose its way after a raucous opening. But that was quickly forgiven by the end. Their final songs featured a cover of Rhythm of the Night, a dance song by DeBarge that fitted with surprising ease into the set, and ended with Flaws, the tune that exemplifies the band’s joyful brand of music. In a world often beset by negativity, Bastille offer happiness and positivity, and anyone feeling down should use them as a pick-me-up. They are medicine for the miserable.

Tom Jennings