Basket Case @ Top Of The Ark at Arkaba Hotel, Adelaide 10/3/2019

For lovers of punk rock, The Arkaba was the place to be on Sunday night of The Adelaide Cup long weekend, as Adelaide’s premier Green Day tribute band, Basket Case – The Australian Green Day Show, and opening act, Ripcord, tore up the Top of the Ark at the Arkaba Hotel. The night began with Adelaide’s own up and coming punk rock band, Ripcord, opening the show. With their high energy, excellent musicianship and stage presence, rocker charm and polite crowd interaction, Ripcord set the bar high for Basket Case to follow.

Like an authentic Green Day show, the pink bunny appeared on stage to scull a beer and get the crowd hyped and ready for Basket Case’s arrival. In true Green Day fashion, Basket Case had fans on their feet rocking and singing along to all the Green Day classics from the get-go, for over two hours, from the opening song, Know Your Enemy, to the encore – American Idiot and Jesus of Suburbia. Basket Case began the show by playing fan favourites from 21st Century Breakdown (2009), Warning (2000), American Idiot (2004), followed by Dookie (1994) in its entirety. Numbers from Nimrod (1997) followed. Basket Case then changed the pace as phone lights and cigarette lighters were brought out for Green Day classic, Wake Me Up When September Ends.

Like Green Day, Basket Case had a strong emphasis on crowd interaction, even bringing some lucky fans on stage to belt out their favourite Green Day tunes. Their appearance and vocal resemblance were second to none, and you would have been forgiven to mistake them for the real Billie Joe Armstrong, Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt!

With original Green Day music videos projected in the background, Basket Case created a nostalgic and mesmerising experience for die-hard Green Day fans as they relived the 1990’s and 2000’s. With excellent musicianship and stage presence, Basket Case gave Green Day fans a night of punk rock to remember!

Fringe Review By Rosemarie Lagana