Live Report: Basht. crush it at Whelan's

Basht. rocked Whelan’s main stage on Friday, delivering their staple indie-rock sound.

Opening up the night was Madra Salach, a five-piece traditional folk band based in Dublin. The group kicked off their set with powerful, isolated vocals. Slowly they added in the guitar, mandola, piano accordion and drums. Together, each component worked to develop a strong, unified atmosphere.

“These people on the stage are my best friends,” said vocalist Paul Banks. “And by the end of this 30-minute set, you guys are gonna be our best friends too. I’m serious.”

Banks’ voice rang fiercely in the air, filled with heart and with skill. As his passion continued to rise, he shook his head wildly and gripped the microphone. The mandola player switched to the tin whistle, adding a dynamic flair to the already layered sound.

“Guys, we have one more song, which means that if anyone in here isn’t our best friend yet you’ve got about five minutes to do so,” said Banks, before ending with ‘The Man Who Seeks Pleasure.’

The song was nothing short of a powerhouse, leaving the audience howling for more and me wishing it was available on streaming services.

“Free, free, free Palestine!” he chanted before walking off stage.

Madra Salach at Whelan's. Copyright Curtis DeSmith.

When Basht. arrived, the audience was excited and primed. Sharing stages with bdrmm and the Goo Goo Dolls, the band has experience playing at festivals like Electric Picnic, All Together Now and Mutations. Their reputation preceded them, with fans cheering loudly for them to begin.

Kicking off with punchy drums and a groovy bassline, Jack Leavey’s angsty vocals complimented the instrumentals beautifully.

“Move closer, move closer!” he urged.

They began playing ‘TIAY’ off their 2024 EP Dirty White Lies, reflecting on the painful realities of growing apart from someone close to you. Sam Duffy’s and Rossa Healy’s performances on guitar were truly remarkable, electrifying the entire venue. Fans cheered as they approached the bridge, building into an explosion of drums.

Basht. at Whelan's. Copyright Curtis DeSmith.

“It's not about you! No, it’s not about you!” Leavey hurled into the mic.

The crowd danced along to the first track off their 2024 EP, ‘Dirty White.’ The song carried a certain swagger that was infectious, filled with heavy drums and Leavey’s unrelenting vocals.

Lights flashed red and white as they performed ‘Gone Girl,’ a compelling single from the same EP. Basht.’s songwriting skills were put on full display when it came to the bridge of each song, pulling back and ramping up again with introspective lyricism.

As their set came to a close, the crowd pushed against each other and chanted, “One more tune! One more tune!”

“Thank you so much to you guys,” said Leavey, before walking off stage. “You mean the world to us. A bunch of friendly faces makes the world of difference.”