A few weeks ago over Memorial Day weekend I worked for the first time Boston Calling Music Festival which meant that I had a chance to see Khruangbin for the first time. The psychedelic rock/new-age funk band, pronounced KRUNG-bin, started popping up on festival lines up this year ahead of the April 5th release of, A La Sala, their fifth studio album. Soon after came their own tour announcement.
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| Khruangbin at Boston Calling 5/25/2024 photo by Nikki DeMartini |
They played on Saturday, show day two, infamously known as the busiest show day at any given show. Boston Calling proved to be an anomoly with it's biggest ticket selling day being on Sunday night when The Killers headlined and closed out the festival.
The line-up this year was a good mix from Megan Thee Stallion, Blondshell, Renee Rapp to Ed Sheeran, Beach Weather and Tyler Childers, to name a few. A golden hour set was fitting for Khruangbin's ultra chill aura. Nestled in on the more Country music inclined day the three piece group played the main stage, Green Stage from 6:05 - 7:05, ahead of that night's headliner, Tyler Childers.
It's unclear what time is was by the time me and a few coworkers found a spot to watch and enjoy, I couldn't even tell ya what song they were playing. Khruangbin is a band that's been on my must see list for a while. Albeit festival sets are hit or miss I was just happy to be there.
The crowd had already started beefing up in anticipation of the headliner yet there was still plenty of room to comfortably stand, watch and dance or sway if you will, to their enrapturing tunes.
Their stage design almost mirrored the image of their latest album's cover art: windows against an outside skyview of blue sky and puffy white clouds. The walls on the album cover are red and on stage they were beige but the tie in was obvious. In an avant garde-ish power suit of rust-orange colored pants and matching tutu-ish top, topped off with a matching headband, leading lady Laura Lee Ocha was perfection. She matched the golden hue of their sunset set which played into the band's sunset vibes. From where I was standing it looked as if guitarist Mark Speer was sporting a brown three piece suit as he strolled around stage.
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| Khruangbin A La Sala album cover art |
The two had sweet interactions with each other through out the set and made it a point to bring their playing to drummer DJ Johnson who was tucked somewhere in the stage design. As easy going as their music is, seeing them live fosters the same sort of feeling, Khruangbin's grooves make you feel groovy because it's welcoming and judgement free. Khrubangbin has curated an all encompassing atmosphere around Khrubangbin: from their music and albums to their stage design and their stage presence. And it all feels geniune. That's the ticket. Good, genuine music at a show, a festival set no less, that isn't phoned in or contrived.
Ready to go at any moment if duty called, I was discreetly elated to be soaking in the moment. Then, familiar sounds of two of my favorite songs of theirs, "So We Don't Forget" and "Time (You and I)" made it that much better.
Eyes closed, setting sun on my face, I did my best to let the music take me away and with Khruangbin that's not hard to do.
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| Khruangbin at Boston Calling 5/25/2024 photo by Nikki DeMartini |
Surprisingly no pressing calls came through for our crew while we were enjoying ourselves at Green Stage and we ended up staying right up until the end, extending our fun through "People Everywhere (Still Alive)" and "Maria tambien".
The best work break you can ask for.
Aside from the fact that Boston Calling keeps the volume at all of the stages low, I thought Khruangbin sounded just fine. Their sound and matching aesthetic were a perfect fit for when they played. A golden sunset all-call radio call soundtrack.
Khruangbin set-list @ Boston Calling 5/25/2024
1. Pon Pon
2. Todavia Viva
3. Juegos y Nubes
4. Dern Kala
5. Lady and The Man
6. The Infamous Bill
7. So We Won't Forget
8. Evan Finds the Third Room
9. Time (You and I)
10. People Everywhere (Still Alive)
11. Maria Tambien
Khruangbin are on the move this Summer, sharing their feel good grooves along the way!
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