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Khruangbin Press Shot (credit Jackie Lee Young)

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By the time Khruangbin stepped onto Brisbane’s Riverstage last night, the air was thick with humidity. Their signature blend of psych-funk, soul, and Latin grooves had drawn a sold-out crowd, ready to float away on the band’s hypnotic instrumentals.

And then the skies cracked open.

Now, a little rain at an open-air show is one thing, but when the band’s dreamy visuals and sound effects synced perfectly with the weather, it feels almost too perfect.

Then, as the rain passed, the screen behind them flipped to bright blue skies. Come on!

Did they plan this? Are Khruangbin actually celestial beings with a direct line to the weather gods?

Khruangbin (which means “airplane” in Thai) aren’t your typical band. The Houston-based trio, bassist Laura Lee Ochoa, guitarist Mark Speer, and drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson, Jr. pull influences from every corner of the world, blending 1960s Thai funk, Middle Eastern scales, cumbia, surf rock, and American soul into something entirely their own.

Their music rarely has lyrics. It’s all about the groove.

Their latest album, A La Sala (Spanish for “To the Room”), leans even more into their global influences, pulling from Spanish and Latin American traditions while still carrying their signature dreamlike haze. On record, it feels intimate, warm, something you’d put on while lying on your floor. But live? That’s where things sounded different.

The stage setup was simple yet stylish. just a clean, white staircase leading up to a screen shaped like a window panel. No flashy props, no large band, just them and their instruments.

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Khruangbin, A La Sala Tour, Buffalo NY, 28th May 2024

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Visually, the trio are fascinating to watch. Mark Speer lets his guitar do most of the talking, weaving intricate, swirling riffs with a calm detachment. DJ Johnson, Jr. is the backbone, holding it down with effortless drumming. And then there’s Laura Lee.

The bassist is the band’s undeniable focal point. She grooves with a hypnotic confidence. Strutting, twirling, and stepping in sync with every deep bassline. Her footwork is groovy and fun. It’s clear she feels the music completely, which makes it quite frustrating that the band seems less interested in connecting with the audience verbally.

Khruangbin’s set leaned heavily on A La Sala. “Fifteen Fifty-Three” opened the night with a warm, rolling groove. ”Pon Pón” brought a playful cumbia bounce, adding some much-needed movement, while “May Ninth” leaned into melancholy, its one of my favourite tracks off the album too. The standout “Todavía Viva” sounded romantic and “A Love International” had all the makings of a classic Khruangbin groove with a deep bass, and airy melodies. But it never quite lifted off in the live setting. Things picked up with “Hold Me Up (Thank You)”, a funkier, gospel-tinged track that finally gave the audience something to dance to. Despite their technical perfection, the set blurred together, where each song bleed into the next.

After a while, the set started to feel more like an extended jam session than a concert. If you were already deeply immersed in their world, it was probably heaven. But if you needed a little more something, a spark, a connection – it wasn’t really there.

Khruangbin are masters of their craft. They make instrumental music feel cinematic, and their ability to pull from so many influences without sounding like copycats is impressive. But as the night wore on, the lack of energy became impossible to ignore. They barely spoke to the audience. It was like watching a beautiful, hypnotic dream unfold… from behind a glass wall.

At home, alone, this band feels intimate, the kind of music to lose yourself in. But live? It felt like background music for a party we weren’t fully invited to.

Still, at least they got the weather right.

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Follow KHRUANGBIN: 
​Website – Facebook – Instagram
 Spotify – YouTube – Apple Music 

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Hermanos Gutiérrez Press Shot (credit Larry Niehues)

Follow HERMANOS GUTIÉRREZ 
​Website – Facebook – Twitter/X
Instagram – Spotify – YouTube – Apple Music 

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Khruangbin Live Photo (credit Jackie Lee Young)

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Press Release 10th September 2024 (below) HERE

KHRUANGBIN (USA)
A La Sala Tour

– 3rd & final
Sydney show added!

New show: Tickets on sale Friday 13 September 

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AMNPLIFY – DB