1. Lyrically, many of the British indie act’s songs are depressing. And many others, like “Lethargy,” “Snakes,” “Flaws,” “Four Walls” and “The Currents” reveal a range of strong emotions, from anxiety to self-doubt. Such songs appear to come from a genuine place for frontman Dan Smith, who modestly called himself an “awkward dancer” and “not smooth” during the show. Smith went so far as to tell Friday’s Las Vegas crowd that the band would return for an encore before leaving the stage.

2. Some songs’ melodies offer an ironic contrast with the lyrics. There was no better example than “Good Grief,” in which an upbeat pop melody—with accompanying video featuring a teddy bear and women in ’80s-style clothing and roller skates—featured lyrics about the loss of a loved one. “Every minute and every hour, I miss you, I miss you, I miss you,” Smith sang during the chorus. Same for “Winter of Our Youth,” whose pop sound accompanies nostalgic lyrics about a once-strong relationship that has faded with time. “This is probably the happiest-sounding song you’ll ever hear about death,” Smith joked before “Good Grief.”

3. Smith made the most of the venue. As keyboardist Kyle Simmons, guitarist Will Farquarson, drummer Chris Wood and backup vocalist Charlie Barnes performed from the Chelsea stage, Smith walked through the crowd on the floor on three different occasions, either to sing amongst delighted fans or to make his way to the center platform by the venue’s seating area. One of the most energetic reactions came as Smith stood on that center stage and sang a cover of Corona’s 1993 hit “Rhythm of the Night.” Smith, Barnes, and Simmons also began the band’s encore performance from the second level of the Chelsea’s seating area, performing “Two Evils” opposite the main stage. They rushed back to the through the venue’s main concourse area to finish the show with “Icarus” and “Pompeii.”

4. The band didn’t need its hits to keep the crowd’s attention. In fact, Bastille went more an hour without playing a U.S. radio single. The first, “Blame” off last year’s Wild World, came 65 minutes into the show. Regardless, crowd members danced through the first 13 songs, cheering especially loudly during opener “Send Them Off.”

5. Smith is a grateful performer. Bastille’s leader thanked the Vegas crowd numerous times on Friday, especially before the band played its most popular song, “Pompeii.” As opening band Mondo Cozmo—along with Imagine Dragons’ drummer Daniel Platzman joined Bastille onstage for that closing song, Smith’s combined “thank you” count hit double digits.