Words & Pictures (C) Lorna Leahy
Basement’s show at the O2 Forum Kentish Town on Friday night felt like a proper release. The kind of gig where you walk out sweaty, hoarse and completely wired. With support from Midrift, Dynamite and Anxious, the lineup was a perfect mix of British hardcore with some lighter, almost pop-punk moments.
Midrift
The night kicked off with Midrift, a young three-piece from San Francisco. You could tell the crowd weren’t too familiar with them at first, but that didn’t last long. Their songs were heavy and raw, and there was a charm in how they played. It was clear they’re still getting comfortable on stage, but for a band that early in their career, they handled it well. Heads were bobbing within a couple of songs and people started paying attention. With a bit more confidence, they’ve got loads of potential.
Dynamite
Next up was Dynamite, and that’s when the energy properly shifted. This is a hardcore band that’s clearly more at home in packed clubs with no barriers, and that came across straight away. The crowd instantly stepped it up. Crowd surfers were flying over the front from the first few notes, and the lead singer wasted no time getting up on the barrier and into the crowd. It felt less like a performance and more like a shared chaos between the band and everyone in the room. The music was loud, aggressive and completely relentless. Mosh pits opened across the floor and the place just erupted. It was brilliant to watch, even if you were keeping out of the firing line.
Anxious
Then came Anxious, who brought a slightly different sound to the mix. Less heavy than Dynamite, they lean more towards pop punk, but the energy stayed high. Their set was full of movement, with the band jumping around and feeding off the crowd. Even though their style was a little lighter, the mosh pits didn’t slow down and the crowd surfers kept coming. They held their own and kept the momentum going.
Basement
When Basement finally walked out, the atmosphere shifted again. You could feel it before they even played a note. They opened with a mix of older favourites and newer tracks, and from the first chord the place just exploded. What makes Basement special is that sense of release you get during their set. Their songs are built for shouting along with your whole chest and the crowd did exactly that. There were barely any phones out which was refreshing. Instead, arms were in the air, bodies were flying and everyone was moving.
Crowd favourites like ‘Are You The One’, ‘Pine’ and ‘Fading’ had the whole venue lit up. You could see the band loving it too, throwing themselves around the stage, clearly enjoying every second. About halfway through the set they played two brand new songs, though they didn’t give away the names. One was a slower track that had the whole place still for a moment. It was a rare pause in the noise and you could tell people were really listening to the lyrics. The second new song brought the heaviness back and the pit wasted no time opening again.
They closed the night with ‘Covet’ and it was honestly massive. The lights came up on the crowd and it felt like a full-on shared moment between band and fans. Everyone was shouting the words, people were flying over the barrier again and the energy hit another level. Watching it all from the sides was a bit surreal. You don’t often see a crowd that animated from start to finish.
All in all, Basement delivered a night to remember. An emotional, chaotic and cathartic release for everyone there. If the new material is anything to go by, they’ve got something big on the way for us all.
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