A new venue for me tonight and one I’ve been looking forward to visiting. Bask is a great space in the heart of Stockport, with a floor level stage that puts you in touching distance of the bands and that will be important tonight. I say tonight. I could’ve been here all day as things got going early this evening with a bill of five bands. I’m afraid life hasn’t allowed me to indulge much beyond the headliners, but there’s a palpable sense in the room that things have been steadily building for Déjà Vega. This is certainly helped by Wax-Tree-Cast who I do manage to catch. They have a thing for pink stage attire, rockabilly quiffs and some pretty banging tunes that gets the guy in front of me dancing with what has to be said some pretty fancy footwork. I’m not totally won over, but they come alive a few times and sound awesome, most notably on the final song that I quite honestly don’t want to ever stop.
Stop they do though to make way for a band that just keep getting better and better. Déjà Vega never fail to impress whether raising the temperature on windy days in skate parks or bringing the thankfully now reopened Gorilla to its knees. It’s fair to say that I’ve high expectations in Bask. It’s a lovely warm space, especially when someone shuts the side loading door. Plenty of room and drinks come in glasses which is a rare treat in a venue these days. As they start the set, I’m fearful mine might shatter. These lads go for it. As they tear through ‘It’s All Gone Wrong’, despite the rather civil surroundings, it gets lively down the front. It’s not a young crowd, but some all day drinking can do wonders for the spirits and with the band so close, there’s an excited party buzz. I can’t blame anyone not able to stay still, this has to be one of the best rhythm sections around, they hit fucking hard and provide the perfect canvas for all that guitar shredding goodness. ‘Chasing’ is a disco juggernaut followed by an absolute bruising new one called ‘Cut Me Loose’ that’s got some real punk venom to it. ‘Slow and Steady’ does kinda what it says on the tin, but still with a wallop. Jack attacks the mic with a ferociousness that could take out the first few rows of the audience if they’re not careful. Every word delivered with a cold snarl that looks lethal. As if to lessen the threat, they dispatch the beautifully disarming ‘Harmoniser’ which also lives up to its name with those blissful chords over the driving bass. The crowd are bouncing, the band are smiling, it’s glorious. They’ve got us and they’re not letting go. ‘Mr Powder’ follows and fuck me it sounds brutal. Tom is blowing hard at the back, but feeding off the energy and Mike looks a mix of incomprehensible joy and pure shellshock. I know how he feels. The rally cry of ‘Who We Are’s “We are one, we are free” see's the Bask crowd erupt in a sea of limbs. I swear when that buzz guitar kicks, the world’s problems melt away and if that’s not enough have some fucking cowbell! They create an atmosphere that permeates way beyond the sound. It’s pure infectious energy and as they finish with their customery wigout coda it’s impossible to see a line where the band and crowd separate, the cowbell is handed over to a happy recipient and my endorphins are struggling to keep up. It’s a sublime set from an incredible band. Roll on Yes next month, I WANT MORE!!
