Basement are back! After 6 long years of festivals and US tour dates, the Suffolk-based quintet played 5 dates across the UK. My months of eager checking of their social media had finally paid off, and I was lucky enough to catch them in their sold-out Bristol show at Electric (formerly SWX). The venue was buzzing before the first band even set foot on stage, and you could feel the anticipation reverberating off the damp walls.

Midrift were up first, with a shoegazey, melancholic first few songs. I’ve been a fan of their music for about a year now, and was surprised to see that behind the raw, emotive lyricism and atmospheric guitar riffs were 3 young guys. Two I’ve found out were only 18 years old. One song even included a drum solo, which I can’t really describe in any other way other than mesmerising. They are certainly one to watch, for fans of Slowdive, Deftones and Blondeshell.

Dynamite were the second to play, and brought a heavy, hardcore set which juxtaposed the more sombre tone of Midrift. There was a lot of anger and rage being rattled through the venue, which saw lots of sweaty blokes take to the mosh pits in a flurry of limbs and testosterone-fuelled shouts.

They even bought on Midrifts drummer Kai for a song, which both he and the band absolutely smashed. Hardcore isn’t really my cup of tea, but Dynamite’s high-octane, high-energy set was fun if nothing else. If you like Soft Play and IDLES, Dynamite might be right up your street.

Anxious were the final support act and by this point, everyone was getting a little antsy. 3 support acts meant that the energy was lost a little for Anxious, which was unfortunate. They were a nice tone-down from Dynamite’s rambunctious romp, with a sound similar the rock bands of the early 2000s, like Yellowcard or Jimmy Eat World.

Members from all four bands were stood watching each other as they played like some sort of musician’s carousel, with Basement frontman Andrew Fisher cheering on each support act. It was clear there was a cheerful camaraderie between the bands, and it was really nice to see.

Finally, Basement were on. The lights went up and the band kicked off with their 2019 single Are You The One. The crowd was wild, with mosh pits and crowd surfers flailing as far as the eye could see. Moving into Promise Everything and Aquasun, before jumping back through their discography into Bad Apple, Spoiled and Earl Grey.

Basement surprised us with 2 new songs, the first was slow, reflective and atmospheric, receiving a round of applause at the end much to the amusement of the band. The second was classic Basement, catchy guitar, punchy bass and rhythmic drums, wrapped neatly with Fishers gritty vocals.

They then dove back into their classics, with Whole bringing the energy and excitement in the room to its peak. The band’s energy was electric, and their 6-year absence from UK touring felt as if it was never there.

Basement were back, and the teasing of new music hints that they’re here to stay. Fading and Brother’s Keeper followed, with Breathe and Yoke pulling everyone into the final three songs of Crickets Throw Their Voice, Pine and Covet. Covet bought everyone in Electric together, as their most played song boasting over 196 million streams. All voices were singing together – it seems like all those years of British Primary school assemblies finally paid off.

I was chuffed that 6 songs on the setlist were from their 2012 album Colourmeinkindness, an album of which is definitely in my top 50 of all time. Worth a listen if you haven’t already, and I feel it’s the album that best reflects their sound.

As the final chords of Covet rang out, it felt like the gig was over as quickly as it had started. With three support bands on the bill, the evening felt more like a festival stage line-up than a gig. Which, while showcasing plenty of talent, left the main event feeling a bit squashed. That said, I understand the challenges the music industry is facing and it’s clear that giving newer artists stage time is one of the ever-reducing number of ways to help them grow a following.

In a time when live music is under increasing pressure, it’s more important than ever to support your local venues and artists. They’re the backbone of nights like this and they need us just as much as we need them. Go see whoever you like, but if you want a crazy night to remember, go see Basement.

Review by Jasmine Ritchie

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