Global psychedelic band Khruangbin hypnotizes crowd with groovy tunes at Suffolk Downs.
In the wake of their fourth album, A La Sala, the Houston-based psychedelic rock trio Khruangbin played to a packed Suffolk Downs on a warm, June Friday night. It was a beautiful day for an outdoor concert, and Bostonians of all ages flocked to the racetrack venue, many wearing band shirts for groups like the Grateful Dead. There truly was a family-friendly vibe to the event, with many bringing their kids and blankets to set up on the vast lawn and soak in the opener, John Carrol Kirby, while sampling from the many food vendors and watching planes from nearby Logan Airport pass overhead.
Khruangbin took the stage around 8:30 p.m., just as the sun was starting to set. They opened with some of their chiller, low-tempo tracks, such as “May Ninth” from their new album. By doing this, they allowed the crowd to warm up to the set gradually, as a good portion of the crowd were still eating, drinking, and socializing with their friends. By about halfway through their set, with the evening darkness set in, the crowd was completely enthralled, paying full attention and dancing to the band’s hypnotic grooves and melodies.
Khruangbin released their first album in 2015, so by this point audiences know what they bring to the table, and it was on full display at this show. Drummer DJ Johnson was completely locked-in, playing the steadiest and smoothest beats with one of the most glorious snare sounds in existence. Bassist Laurie Lee played groovy and melodic basslines, walking the line between filling the harmonic space and leaving enough room for the guitar to speak. And Mark Speer was an incredibly innovative guitarist, expertly switching between playing rhythmic grooves, melodic leads, and ripping solos. To be able to capture and hold audiences while playing lead for two hours is no small feat, and Speer’s playing on top of the foundation provided by Lee and Johnson is Khruangbin’s magic formula. Meanwhile, the costumes, set design, light show, and choreographed dancing and stage movements provided an interesting visual experience, even from far away. That said, the audience setup at Suffolk Downs could be improved, as there is a large sound booth placed in the center of the field at the front of the GA lawn section, leaving a large, unoccupied area in the middle of the field where some of the best views and sound could theoretically be had. Nevertheless, the band’s performance and general atmosphere of the venue were enough to carry the show.
The band played seven songs from their new album, with the aforementioned “May Ninth” and “Pon PĂłn” being personal favorites. They blended these tracks in with twelve songs from previous albums, including a four-song run of hits to close out the main set: “So We Won’t Forget,” “Evan Finds the Third Room,” “Time (You and I),” and “MarĂa TambiĂ©n.” “Time” in particular was turned into a long jam that was significantly longer than the studio recording, in which Speer played an extended solo reminiscent of Carlos Santana. After this run, the crowd begged for an encore, which Khruangbin provided, adding three additional songs, two of which were from their very first album. With their excellent performance, Khruangbin demonstrated why they’re one of the best rock bands on the scene today and why they’re able to pack such a large venue.
Photos by Hang Nguyen