Khruangbin have made a name for themselves—albeit one that’s difficult for most people to pronounce—by keeping their vibes simple and tightly designed. So much so that bassist Laura Lee Ochoa claims she hasn’t changed the strings on her bass since the band first formed in 2010. Yet, that narrow range within which Khruangbin have kept their sound and aesthetic still somehow eludes conventional descriptions.
Their music comes across as an amalgamation of psychedelic rock, surf rock, Thai funk, Tuareg guitar, and countless other styles and genres spanning from Southeast Asia to the Middle East and back to their home base in Texas. Similarly, their stage show is deceptively basic, with a surprising amount of space for exploration. Though their setup is one of a monotone room with steps and three windows, they manage to portray all manner of moods and vibes with an expertly crafted array of lights, smoke machines, and images of skies and nature projected onto the window screens. Those elements and others coalesced into two August nights of music at the Hollywood Bowl that might best be described as performance art set pieces.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra served as the warmup act for both of said performances, and, like all things Khruangbin, the opener was perfectly curated for the occasion. The Portland-based psychedelic rockers made the most of their 40 minutes under the Bowl’s famous half shell. They somehow managed to squeeze in an extended jam, even while treating the audience to tried-and-true tracks like “Necessary Evil”, “The Opposite of Afternoon”, “So Good at Being in Trouble”, “That Life”, and “Hunnybee”. With his spectacularly crunchy guitar work, bandleader Ruban Nielso set the tone for what was to come from the night’s headliners.
Khruangbin split their two hours on stage into a pair of distinct sets. During the first, they played their latest album, 2024’s A LA SALA, from front to back. Just like the recorded version, the live rendition proved to be brilliantly vibey, courtesy of Laura’s groovy bass lines, guitarist Mark Speer’s flitting axmanship, and drummer DJ Johnson’s crisp breakbeats.
All of that combined to create a melodic soundtrack underpinning a mesmerizing visual presentation. As Laura and Mark carefully and choreographically stepped their way around the stage, the artifice of a room behind them lit up with dancing lights accenting scenes of day and night, sunshine and storm. Along the way, the layers of the Bowl’s half shell shined with seemingly animated gradients of color.
A similar arrangement persisted during the second set. After a brief break filled with the sights and sounds of a thunderstorm, the band resumed their posts to play the most recognizable riffs from their globetrotting catalog.
Of the 12 tracks that comprised the second set and encore, half came from their debut album, 2015’s The Universe Smiles Upon You. That six-pack included a four-song stretch of “August 12”, “Mr. White”, “Two Fish and an Elephant”, and “Dern Kala”, and picked back up after the main sets with “White Gloves” and “People Everywhere (Still Alive)”.
The encore also included “Calf Born in Winter”, which helped to launch Khruangbin’s career. That track appeared on Bonobo’s Late Night Tales compilation in 2013, after Khruangbin opened for him on tour.
In addition to those songs, Khruangbin got attendees out of their seats for “Friday Morning” and provided plenty of fan service by way of a run built on “So We Won’t Forget”, “Maria También”, “Evan Finds the Third Room”, and “Time (You and I)”.
Taken all together, Khruangbin’s performance came across less like a band showing off in the spotlight and more as the musical component of an avant-garde performance exhibit. Laura and Mark sang few words and spoke even fewer, but needed only to let their instruments do most of the talking.
Such a low-key presence likely comes as little surprise to Khruangbin’s fans and observers. After all, the black wigs their two leads routinely wear do as much to contribute to the band’s aesthetic as they do to obscure the faces of its members. Nonetheless, this trio with a foreign name, a nearly faceless persona, and a sound that defies description has managed to captivate music lovers the world over.
Khruangbin will continue to bring its unique offering to the masses as its current tour stretches well into 2025. Next up: an August swing through the western United States that will see the band play multi-night stints in Berkeley, CA; Troutdale, OR; Bonner, MT; and Denver and Morrison, CO, with a night in Salt Lake City mixed in. Find a full list of dates and ticketing details on the band’s website.
Khruangbin – Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, CA – 8/10/24
[Videol: mano1971music]
[Video: POP FLIKS]
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