Swindon band headline The Vic ahead of debut at renowned festival

By Claire Dukes - 9 July 2019

Arts and Culture
  • Left to right from back to front: Joe Knights (drums), Mert Benning (bass), Will Toogood (lead guitar) and Rohan Ball (frontman)

    Left to right from back to front: Joe Knights (drums), Mert Benning (bass), Will Toogood (lead guitar) and Rohan Ball (frontman)

A band from Swindon will be headlining a show in their hometown following the release of their brand-new single. Later this month they’ll also be performing at the same festival as Foals, Lewis Capaldi and You Me At Six.

Having only hit the music scene last year, Swindon band Basement Club have seemingly hit the ground running.

Since the release of their first single ‘Florence’ in 2018, the four-piece indie band have attracted the attention of BBC Introducing and national music promoter This Feeling. And, on top of this, last month the band announced they had been selected to play at Oxford’s Truck Festival.

Despite this attention the band appears to be – much like their music – very spacey but spirited about it all. Basement Club's bassist, Mert Benning, said: “It's been crazy to see how things have changed to be honest.

"I think we owe any successes to the support we've received from the people around us, everyone who listens to the tunes and everyone who comes to the gigs. And, obviously, without venues like The Victoria that still give a stage to local original bands I think the Swindon scene for indie music would be a very different place and we owe them a lot for that.”

Following the release of their upcoming single, Talk, - out on Friday 12 July - the band will be headlining the The Victoria ahead of their debut at Truck Festival on The Nest stage – which they announced in June after entering the festival’s Band App Shortlist. This year Truck’s line-up includes Foals, Wolf Alice, Two Door Cinema Club, You Me At Six and Lewis Capaldi.

Speaking of their win – which relied mostly on public votes - Basement Club’s lead guitarist, Will Toogood, said: “I think it’s still a bit mental to all of us honestly. It’s a festival that two of us went to last year and to think that we’ve been given the opportunity to play it this year is crazy.

“More than anything, we’re very grateful for all the support we were shown in the build-up to getting to Truck and also after we announced it, we really appreciate every single person’s vote.”

The festival, which takes place at the end of July, has sold-out this year so the band are hoping to offer up an exclusive insight into their set, and celebrate the release of their single, with a headline show, Saturday 13 July at The Victoria. “We're playing the day after we release Talk and it's bound to be a mad one honestly,” says frontman Rohan Ball.

“I think people should expect a bit of a party - they should be as excited as we are!”

Basement Club will be performing at The Victoria Saturday 13 July. Support comes from The Falmouths and The Stridents.

For further information, and tickets, visit www.thevicswindon.com

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