BASIS NYE/ Azzurro/ Lucky Done Gone/ Olivia Lensen

Basis is a club in Utrecht built into a historic canal cellar on the Oudegracht, the old canal that runs through the middle of the city. The space is described as having a raw, industrial look, and it has become a fixture of Utrecht's underground electronic music scene. Its programming centres on house and techno, and it has been called a sanctuary for people who care about those genres. The location is part of the appeal. The Oudegracht is often described as the lifeline of Utrecht, and Basis sits a short walk from several other well known venues, including TivoliVredenburg, EKKO, Poema and Theater Kikker. That makes it easy to combine with other stops in a night out, and it places the club firmly within the compact cluster of stages that gives Utrecht its busy nightlife. Basis also has a link with the city's wider festival culture. It joined the official programme of Le Guess Who? in 2018, alongside Poema and WAS., all presented as prominent clubs in Utrecht's nightlife. That year it hosted a late night bill that included Yves Tumor, whose show was billed as a breakneck display of ritualistic catharsis, and the Brazil born, Amsterdam based DJ, producer and vocalist LYZZA, whose sweaty club sets were pitched as turning the room into a safe haven for everyone to move freely. Basis was also chosen to host the festival's official afterparty on the Sunday night. The pairing of experimental pop and club music in a cellar setting suggests a room that works equally well for live acts and DJ sets, though the available sources say little about its founding or how it developed over the years.