Basement Bring WIRED to Düsseldorf
Seeing Basement back at zakk in Düsseldorf felt a bit like coming full circle. The last time I saw them there was in 2019, when they played the smaller room. Given their continued popularity and the excitement surrounding their latest album, ‘WIRED’, I had a feeling they’d be moving up to the larger hall this time, and that’s exactly what happened.
The first surprise of the evening came as soon as I entered the venue: there was a barrier in front of the stage. Every show I’d previously attended at zakk had been barrier-free, so I wasn’t expecting it. I’d been hoping for an open setup because Basement are one of those bands that thrive on their connection with the crowd, often creating memorable moments both on and off stage. Even so, zakk remains a fantastic venue. The balcony offers a fantastic view of the stage, and the beer garden outside was a lifesaver throughout the night, especially with how hot it got inside.
At around 8 p.m., Glare opened the evening. I’d never listened to them before, but they ended up being one of my highlights of the night. Their shoegaze-heavy sound complemented Basement’s more energetic yet equally atmospheric style perfectly. They kept things fairly low-key on stage, letting the music do the talking, and took a moment to thank everyone who showed up early for their set, a small gesture that was highly appreciated.
Basement took the stage around 9 p.m. and immediately launched into ‘Time Waster’, my personal favourite from ‘WIRED’. The opening stretch of the set, including ‘Deadweight’ and ‘The Way I Feel’, leaned towards the slower and more atmospheric side of the band’s catalogue, making for a strong and confident start.
A few songs in, I moved away from the front to look for some different photo opportunities and started making my way towards the balcony. Halfway up the stairs, I suddenly heard the opening notes of ‘Covet’. Even though I’d checked the setlist beforehand, I’d completely forgotten they were playing it that early. I immediately hurried upstairs, joined by a few other people who clearly had the same realisation. While I’d originally hoped to experience the song from near the moshpit, watching it unfold from the balcony had its own advantages. Looking down at the crowd, it was obvious the energy had just gone up another level.
There weren’t many crowd surfers throughout the night, probably around ten in total, but the pit stayed active for most of the set. People were constantly jumping, singing along and throwing themselves into the action. Singer Andrew Fisher was a joy to watch from start to finish. Beyond his vocals, he might genuinely have some of the best dance moves in alternative music, and he looked like he was having just as much fun as everyone in the crowd.
Among my personal highlights were ‘Aquasun’, which has been one of my favourite Basement songs for years, as well as the more emotional ‘Head Alight’ and ‘Broken by Design’. Near the end of the set, Andrew let everyone know there wouldn’t be an encore and that only two songs remained: ‘Pine’ and ‘Promise Everything’. It was a simple announcement, but it felt fitting – just a band giving everything they had until the very end.
To top off a great night, I picked up one of the limited-run posters after the show and managed to get it signed by guitarist Alex Henery. He even added an original drawing, which was a very cool surprise and the perfect ending to an excellent evening.
