Basement Approved, ‘a platform engaging and empowering young people across a broad range of topics, from fashion and music through to art, politics, travel and more’, visited us in Bristol with their last party of the year, and you know they brought the vibes. Hosted at Thekla, Bristol's boat venue, they delivered a line-up showcasing multi-genre talent featuring names such as Crazy Cousinz and Neffa T. “Basement in Bristol” was the next installment in a new wave of events from the collective; following their event in Brighton which saw Reek0, Namani and El Londo amongst other talented artists perform. In true Basement style, everyone stepped out clean, or as I like to put it, a sea of baggy trousers and expensive hoodies. No but seriously, there were some cold fits.
The night started off with Lew16 B2B Worsley, who warmed up the crowd by bringing a jungle flavour that Bristol knows and loves. We were then transcended into the sounds of G33 who I’m now obsessed with. The crowd went crazy for the South London-born DJ, with her sick multigene mashups, notably mixing traditional Indian tracks with garage, making for an unforgettable set. Neffa-T, who is no stranger to a Bristol line-up, graced us with his presence on Tuesday. Known for his four-deck wizardry and 140-160 bpm madness, he didn't disappoint. Worldwide known Crazy Cousinz, a pioneer of UK funky house, played the penultimate 1-2am slot, showcasing his iconic sound which brought the energy I needed after a full day of uni. Closing the night in style, Omen Audio, an up-and-coming label in the Bristol scene that have locked off shows at the Crofters Rights and Basement 45, finished off with a UKG set which left us wanting the event to last until way longer. Be sure to look out for more from the label after their upcoming show tonight at the Crofters Rights, which will surely be a banging night.
We hope to see more events from Basement Approved in the future as this was one to remember. It’s unique to have an event that represents the Basement's ethos, engaging and empowering young people both on the lineup and the people who attended.
Take a look at all the photos from the night below, taken by Max Matthews (@smshoota)