The success of Khruangbin is a testament to what is still possible in the music industry, even with its perpetual saturation by the sonically saccharine.
On its face, you might not think that a trio of musicians performing largely instrumental and amorphously assorted psychedelia with minimal lyrical intervention would be able to sustain in a pop-dominated scene. Yet, the Houston-based trio of Laura Lee Ochoa on bass, Mark “Marko” Speer on guitar and Donald “DJ” Johnson on drums (and some keys) has managed to not only book ever more prominent gigs but build an almost cult-like following that packs venues across the United States and around the world.
That includes the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, CA. Khruangbin sold out three nights at the iconic 8,500-person venue on the campus of UC Berkeley, capped by a brilliant Friday night performance.
Following a groovy opening bit by Peter Cat Recording Co, Laura, Mark and DJ emerged from a running plume of color-lit smoke and settled into their spots on the band’s three-windowed stage set piece. Khruangbin promptly played through its latest album, 2024’s A LA SALA, in its entirety. The packed house swayed and stood rapt as Mark spun his unique guitar magic on top of Laura’s steady bass and DJ’s crisp drumbeats, from “Fifteen Fifty-Three” to “Les Petits Gris”.
Along the way, the deceptively simple combination of lights, smoke, and images projected onto the window-shaped screens onstage formed a series of settings that established distinct vibes for the band to bind together—whether sunny days, stormy nights, or anything in between.
That audio-visual punch picked up after a brief intermission filled with the sights and sounds of a thunderstorm. Khruangbin spent the second set ticking through the most recognizable tunes in its repertoire, along with a surprising cover.
Setbreak ended with the band performing “August Twelve” and “Friday Morning”. From there, Khruangbin ticked through a slew of familiar tunes from the band’s catalog including “Mr. White”, “Lady and Man”, and “Pelota”. To close out the main set, the trio got the audience grooving to “Evan Finds The Third Room” and “Time (You and I)”—the latter of which was backed by multi-colored lights and projected visuals of nature on the windows of the band’s set piece.
But Khruangbin’s moving evening at the Greek wasn’t done just yet.
The three stoic musicians returned to the stage for a three-song encore that began, amid a cloud of smoke and red lights, with the heavy bass and flowing melody of Kool & The Gang’s “Summer Madness”, a former staple of the band’s setlists that hadn’t yet appeared in 2024.
Khruangbin – “Summer Madness” (Kool & The Gang) – 8/16/24
[Video: MrBoomstick2011]
That gave way to “Maria También”, which elicited the most ecstatic response of the evening from the packed house—both for its own familiarity and for the inclusion of the unmistakable riff from The Sugarhill Gang’s “Apache”. Along with that nod and the now-iconic whispers of “Maria” came projected images of dancing women, seemingly pulled from retro video clips.
Khruangbin – “Maria También” – 8/16/24
[Video: MrBoomstick2011]
Khruangbin managed to kick up the energy at the Greek yet another notch at the very end with “People Everywhere (Still Alive).” That track kept the crowd’s feet and hips shuffling—just in time for everyone to head towards the exits.
All told, it was a fitting end to a spectacular run at a classic venue. Moreover, these three nights at Berkeley’s Greek Theatre marked another milestone in Khruangbin’s remarkable march across the country, toward its continued touring success.
Below, view a gallery of photos from last week’s third and final Khruangbin show at the Greek Theatre via photographer Josh Martin.
The band will wrap up this leg of the A LA SALA tour this month with a slew of shows in Montana, Utah and Colorado, including two nights at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Come late September, Khruangbin will reappear for a three-week swing around the East Coast en route to Austin City Limits and, eventually, a parade of performances across Europe. For tickets and a list of upcoming Khruangbin tour dates, head here.
