The Irish post-punk band brought their debut album to the Scottish city for a night of sweat, noise and chaos.
Photo: Press
When security snuck a quick clip of the Glasgow crowd swelling and colliding at Basht.’s headline gig, it was clear the band were onto a winner. What began as an excited buzz was quickly harnessed by the post-punk quartet, unleashing the room’s reputational rowdiness in a frenzy of restless energy and flying cups.
Glasgow’s Art School was already a stuffy mix of fog and sweat by the time Basht. took to the stage. Opening with the rumbling guitars of Keira Knightley, frontman Jack Leavey instantly had the crowd in the palm of his hand, riling up those down the front with energetic shouts and sweeping arm gestures. Arms aloft, clapping on beat, the first signs of a mosh pit emerged, and as the chorus landed with unhinged precision, Glasgow partied with abandon.
“Tonight’s gonna be a fuckin’ moment, come on Glasgow!” Leavey declared. It hardly needed saying. With Halloween costumes rubbing shoulders with Nothing But Thieves, Assai Records and Madra Salach tees, there was an appetite for chaos in the air.
Moving through Perfume, Stockholm and Wild Horses with a confidence and proficiency that spoke to just how much time these guys have spent on the road, Basht.’s momentum never faltered. The full force of Leavey’s distinct vocals came through on Stockholm and Moth, while Lughaidh Armstrong Mayock casually shredded through Superchurch. Behind them, drummer Ryan McClelland skilfully guided the band through seamless transitions with ceaseless energy. Even at their most wild, the quartet were completely in control.
Terror TV marked the set’s most major moment. Its hooky chorus earned the biggest applause of the night. Fan favourite Vain followed, offering a welcome shift in texture. Its warmer, more melodic live delivery brought a different kind of intensity as the crowd traded frantic movement for open-armed chants.
The double whammy of Circadia and Vermilion Reptilian then put the room through its paces once again, with Louis Christle’s thundering bass on the latter prompting a sea of bobbing heads that couldn’t help but show stank-face appreciation. By this point, the band had complete command of the room, moving effortlessly between moments of unbridled chaos and more measured intensity.
Closing their set with the title track of their debut album, Poor Advice, the gig felt like a fitting snapshot of who Basht. are right now. Socially conscious, armed with an infectious musicality and capable of delivering live performances that are as dynamic as they are relentlessly lively, Basht. are a band who know exactly how to make a room move.