Kula Shaker, a hippie and lysergic ritual

Peace, brotherhood, mysticism, psychedelia, Gandhi and Groucho Marx. For the Kula Shakers, now entering a quarter of a century of activity – but who upon closer inspection could be even many more, if not infinite, according to Krishna's ordinances – the time, 2024, 1996 or 1967, seems to be only a negligible detail. At the first of the Italian visits for the tour of the latest “Natural Magick”, released last February, the English band becomes the protagonist of a great collective ritual, a bit hippie and largely lysergic, shared between vintage rock and visionary suggestions.

The original line up is on stage at the Alcatraz in Milan, the one that hit the charts and sold millions of copies with their debut album “K”: Crispian Mills in his silver kurta, Alonza Bevan on bass, Paul Winterhart on drums and the “white wizard” Jay Darlington on keyboards, back in the lineup after an absence of more than ten years.

Episodes from the distant past therefore alternate with songs from the new work, to give shape to moments of cathartic abandon and positive vibrations amidst completely enthralling riffs.

The evening opens with “Gaslighting” to immediately grind, one after the other, songs that in an hour and a half reel off a repertoire capable of mixing the entire Kula Shaker cosmos, with the frontman Mills in the role of the great enlightened charmer and Darlington as the shaman with the prodigious aura. Then come liberating songs and unfailingly transcendental echoes, from “Indian record player” to “Infinite sun”, passing through overwhelming numbers such as “Hey dude”, “Grateful when you're dead/Jerry was there” and then again, “Shower your love” and “303”, up to the final notes to release the best inner light available with “Tattva” and the inevitable cover of Joe South “Hush” which at the time was Deep Purple's first single, for finally arriving at the hymn “Govinda”, with its mysterious Sanskrit text sung by all present in a rush of contagious transcendence.

Without ever falling prey to any of the fashions of the moment, the Kula Shakers remain so firmly faithful to their beliefs, with flower necklaces around their necks and colorful Stratocasters. Following the path already traced by the Beatles in retreat in Rishikesh as well as by the Kinks, the live group of Crispian Mills and associates releases all its magical spirituality, above all stirring fun, energy and oriental reminiscences with a sound palette that mixes garage, pop and folk and dangling euphoria to the sky. An excellent result for those who have neither a trunk nor four arms.

Setlist

1. Gaslighting
2. Hey Dude
3. Waves
4. Natural Magick
5. Indian Record Player
6. Start It All Over
7. Infinite Sun
8. I'm Still Here
9. Grateful When You're Dead/Jerry Was There
10. Bringing It Back Home
11. Shower Your Love
12. Happy Birthday
13. Idon'twannapaymytaxes
14. F-Bombs
15. 303
16 Tattvas
17. Hush (Joe South cover)