By Jess Daninhirsch
Khruangbin, a three-piece band from Houston, Texas, graced Stage AE on June 21 for their A LA SALA tour. Soaked in colorful lights, a hefty amount of artificial fog, and good vibes all around, the band kept the heat up on that extra warm Saturday in Pittsburgh.
Truthfully, I’ve never been able to fully describe Khruangbin’s music. I always say it’s the best music you could play in the background of any setting – cleaning your room, a dinner party, studying, etc. – but it is not music that you should only listen to in the background. You should listen to it closely because, even though they rarely have lyrics in a majority of their songs, their music speaks volumes.
But before I launch into the main act’s performance, I want to spotlight the opening act. John Carroll Kirby, a producer and pianist, opened the show with four other band members: a guitarist, another keyboardist, a drummer, and most memorable, a flute and saxophone player.
The flautist, Logan Hone, stole the show. He had so much character, energy, and personality that he remained center stage while Kirby set himself off to the side. The crowd took a moment to warm up when the band first came onstage, but everyone instantly lit up when Hone started dancing around with his flute. And they were extra enthusiastic when Hone brought out a hacky sack.
Kirby’s music was the perfect complement to Khruangbin’s. It was imaginative and soothing while still full of energy (and a bit of disco). At one point, they faded out a song, and Kirby said “Now the music is in your head,” while people kept clapping to the beat and dancing.
More concerts should have flutes. Don’t just leave it to the symphony!
At last, Khruangbin came onstage, appearing in the archways toward the back of the stage in a cloud of fog. The setup was reminiscent of an adobe house or Spanish-style architecture, likely to pay homage to their hometown of Houston.
The band’s name means “airplane” in Thai. It seems that they draw influences from Thailand as well as Spanish-speaking countries and their home state of Texas into their music, creating a very worldly sound.
It is mindblowing to me how just three people can create such a full, rich sound. With Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald Johnson, Jr. on drums, it sounded like at least three more people had to be on the stage, too.
But the three of them never spoke to the audience. In fact, because many of their songs don’t even have lyrics, they rarely used the microphones. They moved slowly and methodically – almost hypnotically – but they communicated everything they needed to with their facial expressions. Most of the time they were neutral, but you could tell that the band members love interacting with each other and with the crowd – even if it’s not spoken.
In addition to their worldly sound, Khruangbin also tied in themes of weather and the natural world – apt for the weather we’ve been having in Pittsburgh. They came onstage as the sun was setting, and they kept the sunset colors going throughout the night with bright lights on screens behind them and a fog machine that captured the colorful lights and spread it across the crowd.
Many of the songs had warm, sunset-like colors, but some of them had cool colors as well. One song even included a lightning effect on the monitors behind them. The colors matched the vibes of each song, shifting from a rock-like song, to a chill one, then picking up to more of an EDM style.
The band that I always thought of as “background music” completely captivated everyone’s attention. Fans were simply grateful that this Texan band brought their music to Pittsburgh. Some people brought bubbles and many fans dressed up like 1960s hippies or cowboys. People danced and kissed. The air was full of love and cigarette smoke.
Khruangbin loves to showcase their fans on their social media platforms, always with the caption “People Everywhere,” often taken by their photographer Jackie Lee Young. It makes them feel like more than just a band. It is a community. They bring people together from all walks of life, all over the world.
Their album “A La Sala” came out in April of 2024. The name means “To the room (or hall, or salon)” in Spanish, once again drawing from their Texan roots. It is like an invitation to the listeners to come with them on a journey or just to relax and think for a while. And they are bringing this “room” all over the world.
So that is how I would describe Khruangbin’s music. It is an experience. One best to be shared with people everywhere.
