Khruangbin

Tell me you’re getting old without telling me you’re getting old: I hate phones at gigs. I cannot understand why anyone would rather miss the experience of a show just to capture something at a relatively average quality that they’re highly unlikely to ever watch again.

That’s why tonight, at the Eventim Apollo, the lack of phone screens obscuring the view and dampening the atmosphere makes it all feel like we’ve entered another realm. A place where music fans are present, just enjoying the moment. It’s fucking amazing.

I didn’t realise this was a thing at Khruangbin shows — and I’m sure it’s been well-covered by now — but the band always requests people refrain from using their handheld pressy-button devices during their live performance. The difference it makes is indescribable. I’m emotional.

The atmosphere created by the stage set — three large, warmly lit windows, and a set of steps, all in a terracotta hue — and the enveloping sound is something that needs to be bathed in. That’s how you experience Khruangbin. You have to embrace the show wholly.

The last time I saw them was a few years ago on a huge outdoor stage at Primavera Sound in Barcelona. The sun added its own thing, and it was a great set. But, this feels different. We’re in Khruangbin’s world here. And it’s warm. And I like it.

They’re more aware than ever of their sound now, and they’re fully invested in immersing us all in it. This venue has a sonic quality that works incredibly well for this band — the melodic swells and the delicate dynamics of their songs are given room to breathe and take on their own life.

The set begins with the band performing their latest release, A La Sala, in its exact running order. Think sunkissed, warm, blissful tones and hues. The record flows wonderfully, and it’s even more effective. Then, after a short, dramatic interval (rainfall included) they return with familiar “older” songs like ‘Zionsville’, ‘August Twelve’, ‘Mr White’,‘Two Fish and an Elephant’, and ‘Dern Kala’.

These tracks are a prime set up for the funky and soulful ‘Evan Finds the Third Room’ — which is like being lured into a trance by the power of groove and musical feeling — and the subsequent, and intricately woven ‘Maria También’. The latter tune has a middle-eastern sound, with guitar tones and style that is shaped by a staccato approach to how the notes are played. This is all enhanced by a very short delay that makes it sound somewhat otherworldly.

I guess I got hung up on these two tracks because they feel deliberate, both in their style and production, and in their placement tonight. I think it’s because there’s something integral to the band in those styles. You can hear their influences pouring out in their riffs, rhythms and melodies here, and I love feeling the band’s identity hitting me right between the eyes.

To wrap up, the band works through a trio of fan favourites — ‘White Gloves’, ‘Time (You and I)’, and ‘People Everywhere (Still Alive) — and it’s safe to say this show felt different. In part, because of the lack of phones and, in turn, the lack of reason to be distracted. By going on the band’s journey, fully, it feels like watching a movie for the second or third time, where you catch more details and recognise the “why” things are done the way they’re done.

So yeah, if that is a sign I’m growing as old as the hills, fine by me. I like hills.

Photo credit: Ryan Ancill