Kula Shaker - The Leadmill, Sheffield, Friday, 20th January, 2023
Set List: Hey Dude/Sound Of Drums/Whatever It Is (I'm Against It)/Infinite Sun/Gaslight/Temple Of Everlasting Light/Grateful When You're Dead/Jerry Was There/Gimme Some Truth (John Lennon)/ Gingerbread Man/Farewell Beautiful Dreamer/Into The Deep/Taxes/Nayaran (The Prodigy) /Tattva/ Hush (Joe South).
Encore: Gokulas/Great Hosannah/Govinda.
Wow! It does not seem like all that long ago since Crispian Mills and his band turned the UK music scene upside down and on its head and maybe a little inside out when it was the peak of Grunge and BritPop.How 27 years vanished in a flash since their debut album, 'K' was released is anyone's guess but they are back again after being away for quite a long time.
With the original line-up of Crispian Mills (Lead Vocals/Guitars/Tamboura), Alonza Bevan (Bass/Vocals), Paul Winterhart (Drums/Percussion) & Jay Darlington (Keyboards/Organ/Piano/Mellotron) back together again they certainly want make an impact and do just that.
This ain't no dash for the cash because we are skint tour since the boys brought a new album out on 10th June last year entitled '1st Congregational Church of Eternal Love and Free Hugs' and treat us to a gem or two from it tonight here in Sheffield like 'Whatever It Is (I'm Against It) that Crispian says is about dealing with a toxic relationship or 'Gingerbread Man' that's based on the Fairytale and sounds like someone's been on the Hash Brownies.
They picked the Leadmill to showcase their songs too which is as packed as it could possibly get. In fact, its so tight its hard to move slightly let alone walk around the largish venue... maybe it's a bit too squashy for comfort to be honest but that's what happens when a well known band sets foot in the city that ain't been seen for yonks. It's hot too as you have probably guessed with all those bodies wedged tightly together like sardines in a tin.
The stage is dark, smoky and very atmospheric which sets an ambience of shrouded mystery with the odd light shimmering but lights up the 'shaker enough for them to make a strong enough impact visually whilst the music still encompasses that hazy Eastern psychedelic druggy phased feel and vibe that made the Kula than Kool band stand out in the 1st place.
So they've aged a bit and judging by their appearance facially, one or two more than others which may be down to intense stress and hard work in a shark infested, crook filled, shifty organisation otherwise known as the music business or maybe a bit too many late nights or intense partying to the extreme.
The mix is immense and we'll structured soundwise where the act themselves and the sound engineers had ensued that every single note stood out musically and each word vocally too. Big Kula Kudos right there! It was a real surprising element to hear the John Lennon gem 'Gimme Some Truth' from the Imagine album that I guess many were not expecting. They pulled it off decent enough too.
So all the songs are not in the exact order but many standouts are inclusive in the set that opens with the pacey 'Hey Dude' and ends with the well-known Joe South, made famous by the early line-up of Deep Purple classic that is 'Hush'.
The flowing rhythms and dashing guitar wizardry alongside marvellous swoops on the organ with tons of echo and phase effect gives these guys that unique edge and its as though they're never been away since they perform real fresh and enthusiastically delight every fan present in here tonight who joyfully scream, shout and sing along to the tunes that are still close to their hearts decades later. To top it off we are of course also presented with those meaningful bass licks and plenty of rolls, beats and fills from the drum kit.
It gives Kula Shaker that late 60's groovy, garage sound that's like a cross between The Byrds, The Who, The Beatles, MC5 and 13th Floor Elevators etc... you get the picture right? Their show is like a scene going on that you've been invited to at a late night club in Soho in about 1967. It's very much an enjoyable vibe, flavour and with a psychedelic essence and ambience and not the same as the standard gig you may go to. The room has an aura of a Turkish harem with it just needing the belly dancers and snake charmers.
We were treated to 100% live, sweet, silky, beautiful vocal harmonies that are often missing these days in the fake world of auto-tune and pre-recorded phoniness. You have the whole package here with the audience going wild for it and loving every second of the ample outings from the P.A. as well as the explosive, energetic arm antics from Crispian and his psychedelic musical warriors.
Fabulous funky 'n' phasey cuts like 'Tattva' were included in the set that would be perfect in a B-Movie from about 1968 and of course, let's not forget the marvellous and mystical 'Sound Of Drums' too. Other highlights included the pounding 'Grateful When You're Dead' with its 'Pa Pa Pa' backing vocals that put me in mind of Strawberry Alarm Clock's 'Incense And Peppermint' that segued into the mind altering journey of 'Jerry Was There''. Utterly sensational!
Kula Shaker are a unique band with elements of things new and old moulded into their own special and spacial adventure into a cosmic rock n roll experience that's experimental enough without losing the plot and confusing the watchers and listeners.
We were most definitely taken on a fantastic musical trip in this legendary Sheffield venue that will take some matching. Until next time....
By Glenn Milligan