HEALTH gets heads banging in Nashville’s Basement East

It was a wet Sunday night in Nashville and I was beyond excited as I packed up my camera bag and headed to The Basement East. It had been a long time since I’d shot a show at this venue, but with a lineup featuring HEALTH and Author & Punisher, I knew I had to be there.

HEALTH has seemingly exploded in recent years.

One moment, they felt like a well-kept secret as an underground band only a few of us were lucky enough to know about and the next, they were collaborating with Nine Inch Nails. In my opinion, it takes a genuinely special band to earn that kind of attention that quickly in the music industry.

The night kicked off with Author & Punisher, an industrial metal duo hailing from San Diego. What immediately stood out was an elaborate metal arm contraption used by frontman Tristan Shone to create sound; it resembled a hybrid between a mechanized gauntlet and an industrial piston, something you’d expect to see hammering rivets in a factory. Each time Shone punched the mechanism forward, it emitted a thunderous bass blast that reverberated through the entire venue. At times, the bass was so powerful that standing in the photo pit felt like receiving a full-body massage. The duo’s creative approach to instrumentation was both refreshing and visceral. Sonically, their music leaned toward a heavy, droning fusion of bass and guitar less melodic, more like a direct punch to the chest.

HEALTH took the stage next, greeted by an almost animalistic scream from the audience.

The primal energy in the room perfectly matched the music that would follow. They opened with “Identity”, “God Botherer”, and “Crack Metal”, which became a progression that steadily built the momentum of the night. And then they launched into my all-time favorite HEALTH song, “Stonefist”.

Without sounding too crude or over the top, HEALTH’s music — described by the band themselves as “Sad Music for Horny People” — truly defies conventional classification. That night, the crowd seemed suspended by an invisible thread of chaotic, sensual energy. Their music perfectly captured the feeling of being psychotically attracted to someone — almost like being in heat. And judging by the way everyone was moving and dancing, I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

As the night came to a close, lead singer Jake Duzsik addressed the crowd, explaining that he hates encores, so the final song would, indeed, be the final one. While I respect the stance, this show felt like it deserved an encore. HEALTH delivered one of the most electrifying performances I’ve seen in a long time, and I sincerely hope they return to Nashville soon.

As an added bonus, I later spotted bassist John Famiglietti hanging out at Hubba Hubba Tiki Lounge, one of the city’s coolest karaoke bars. It was the perfect ending to a night I won’t soon forget.

Photography by Derek Jones

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