BASHT - THE GRAND SOCIAL - SPINDIZZY OUTSTORE SHOW
Basht. Smasht. It.
Words: Julia Monteiro
Four people emerge from the crowd, making themselves acquainted on the stage, feedback occurs, building…
Suddenly, a fifth emerges – this is Basht.
The band came out swinging with “Keira Knightley,” which effectively established their powerful punkish sound. And they did not falter – not once.
Not even when a defective fog machine made it look like the gates of hell, contrary to the feeling of heaven – being at a great gig. The five, along with the front rows became engulfed by it, but frontman Jack Leavey played it off, literally: “I can’t see anything. Can you see anything?”
Several “No’s” can be heard from the sold out Grand Social. A nice moment of connection from the hugely receptive crowd.
The band, now demystified, effectively built tension utilizing Ryan McClelland on drums, and Lughaidh Armstrong Mayock on lead guitar while bassist Louis Christle continually held the beat down. All this led up to their most popular songs: “Wild Horses,” “Poor Advice,” “Never Love.” and the proclaimed “heart of the album” – “Kids Vs Guns.”
As the night continues, the band’s set list winds through genres such as post-punk to indie rock, to an eventual slight change of pace when Leavey traded his electric guitar for an acoustic one to cap it all off with “Poor Advice.”
My advice, see them live (if you can get a ticket to one of their sold-out shows), and listen to their new album Poor Advice.