It's hard to find an out-of-town band with so much love for Nottingham as Irish post-punk scenesters Basht. This year alone they have played in our city twice, and plan to go for a hattrick in late October with an appearance at Rescue Rooms. With this admiration, it's obvious why we were so keen to catch their show at Rough Trade as it celebrated the release of one of the best albums of 2026...
When I got to Rough Trade, I was pleasantly surprised with how busy it was already. It is my normal rule of thumb to get to shows about an hour early, and most of the time that leads to a front place in the queue. This time there was already a decent handful of people waiting. Just seeing people so devoted to a new artist was a lovely sight. My main reason for loving this new wave is this fact; the devotion these kids feel for these bands is something practically unseen in the rock scene since the mid 2000s. It is heartwarming to see people let a scene form around them, instead of a scene being thrust upon them.
Once inside, there was a lot of time to get settled, but there was still so much energy despite the stillness of the patient crowd. One thing I never comment on is the pre-show playlist (as it is normally rather underwhelming), but whoever picked the playlist for this show got the crowd’s feel down to a tee. It seemed there was so much effort and heart put into every part of the show, and I really appreciated that.
When Basht. eventually came on stage, they commanded every pair of eyeballs. Frontman Jack Leavey is an absolute beast at controlling the crowd, and the band are all so insanely talented that it is hard to not just fall in love with every track. The setlist was tight and to the point, with the entirety of their new album Poor Advice being played, alongside an outro of Wild Horses. This made the show feel more like a presentation of where the band is at right now, versus the more retrospective nature of a full concert.
It goes without saying that every song performed was absolute gold, as I adore the new record, but the live nature of the show made me appreciate some songs more than I did before. For example, the live rendition of Keira Knightley was more raucous and debauched than the studio version and was an absolute treat to see performed. Tracks like Moth and Superchurch did not lose any drop of their devastation, and Circadia was a standout of the night: arguably the best song Basht. have ever released. This song, in particular, showed just how strong their rhythm section is - Louis Christie and Ryan McClelland are beasts to be reckoned with.
There is a fury to Poor Advice that was on full display here. Songs such as Kids vs Guns and Terror TV do not tell you their political standings but rather smack you upside the head with their anger at the state of things - and do not stop hitting until you understand the seriousness of the situation. This feeling of exploding anger was translated into music brilliantly by lead guitarist Lughaidh Armstrong Mayock, whose tremelo picking and flailing of his axe felt like a physical and sonic statement on how the band feels. His two solos at the end of Wild Horses were a brilliant way to end the show, and every note still rings even hours and days post-show.
It is hard to write a conclusion on anything related to Basht., but here is the best attempt I can push out: Seeing Basht. in this size venue felt very much akin to the end of act one of Les Miserables, with Enjolras flying the flag of revolution on the barricade. Basht. are revolutionaries; Basht. are upfront in both heart and technical ability; they are some of the finest talent out of Ireland right now. And if you hear these people sing, there is no choice but to follow them to the very top.
Basht. performed at Rough Trade on 12 October 2026. They return to Nottingham on 27 October with a sold out show at Rescue Rooms
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
