Kula Shaker / Dr Joel

Ah, the heady days of Britpop when guitar based bands fought it out for magazine covers and the herd of youth went berzerk for indie. Back then Kula shaker unleashed the album K, and for a while they were at the top of their game.

Since those heady days they've disappeared off the radar, while Blur and Oasis hog the history books. Tonight though, at Exeter Great Hall I realise those tomes need to be re-written because musically Kula Shaker kick Oasis' arse! However the support act Dr Joel wouldn't kick anyone, he's a very chilled out guy with a wide grin and a disarmingly pleasant selection of tracks.

Audience participation is his thing, and the varied age range in the crowd all get involved as he captivates more and more people with his hilarious songs and interesting music lesson interludes. Dr Joel sings traditional Indian 'Konnakol' half the time and daft lyrics like 'I am Human Viagra' the other half, as his hands move dextrously over his keyboard and his feet provide percussion. Crowd participation is a must and chanting "Thom" or "Eeek", howling to 'Howl Like a Wolf' or roaring along to 'Ravenous Like a Tiger' gets the audience relaxed and upbeat. The tabla drumming and Indian rhythms flow, joss sticks burn and we're ready for Mills and Co.



Kula Shaker take to the tiny stage and it's an instant Eastern infused burst of psychedelic and energetic rock. The crowd are buoyed with 'Kick Out The Jams', it's an oldie and they join in with zest, as Crispin Mills flourishing his guitar, he leaps, jerks and dips, his blond mop thrashing around his face, and the music is gloriously overblown, in the style of all great guitar bands from the seventies, but the difference is to see those guys now, they're all too old, Kula Shaker are in their prime and pomp and it makes you realise how mind blowing it must have been to experience Eddie Van Halen, Santana, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, David Gilmore, or even Hendrix in their day.

Yes, Mills' guitar work is that good. In fact it's his guitar and the drumming of Paul Winterhart that power Kula Shaker. Harry Broadbent does a pretty good job on keyboard, providing the mystic rhythms, but for me, it didn't seem as intense as previous ivory tickler Jay Darlington.



Mills also has a rich voice, the drummer and organ player are tight knit, the bass sounds good, although Alonza Bevan playing it looks a little out of place, but his chops sure are slick. If only this venue wasn't so stripped down he'd be able in the lighting or some fancy visuals, instead it's a haze of joss sticks. Anyway, I'm turning Britpop myself now, it's not about the image but the sound, and wow it's a complex layered one. 'Hey Dude' is terrific and a tonic for us, according to Mills, on this the most depressing day of the year.

The venue is hot and sweaty and the bar is through a throng of people getting into the groove. I'm thinking if only the bar was near the front and next second I'm tapped on the shoulder and asked if I'd like 'tea!' I turn around and there in the crowd, right at the front is a large rainbow brolly and under it two tea ladies and a tea urn trolley! What? Is this a festival? Suddenly the whole show's a bit surreal, as I'm drinking tea, there's a blast of joss stick smoke up my nose and the band are whirling dervishes as 'Mystical Machine Gun' is unleashed and it's undeniably a great record and the band are spurred by the crowd's response into a frenetic, pulsing, gloriously enjoyable explosion of sound.



New songs, from the latest album 'Strange Folk' although less well received, because people don't know the opening bars off by heart, actually fit the set well, giving us time to breathe and they're well crafted, they make less of an impact at first but they're actually gems. 'Song Of Love' is an incredibly rich classic veined Kula Shaker, shining with Indian rhythms and giddy with psychedelic guitar. 'Out On the Highway' is slower and shows Mill's vocal prowess, after hearing it I think why did Oasis become so popular when their vocals are so bland? 'Second Sight' has the band at full power and esoteric mystical weirdness, and 'Hurricane Season' could have been penned by Dylan on acid! It would be good to see them at a festival again, big stage and lights, the new songs make their set much more diverse.

Soon as the cracklin' Grateful Dead homage 'Jerry Was There/Grateful When You're Dead' sparks up we all realise that Kula Shaker are in top form, although this song would be enhanced by some Dead visuals, instead of the bare lighting of this cosy venue. By the time the anthems 'Tattva' and 'Hush' are played the crowd are cheering the first notes. They are highlights in an already high class performance.



This gig was in support of the NO2ID campaign and Mills leaves it until the end to highlight the fact. What's happening in this country just isn't on, we'll end up with microchips up our arses, he quips and that's all the comment he makes. Preferring instead to let his guitar do the talking.

Not content to deliver an aural treat in the main event, the band, take us to Shangri-La, the mystical, harmonious paradise with 'Sound of Drums' the first song of the encore, and it's a monolith of a song. The crowd go mental to the track, which is a decade old but sounds as fresh as ever. 'Great Diktator (Of The Free World)' has Mills sending himself up and hamming it up while chanting, "I'm a dik, a dik, a diktator!" Dressed in his 'Crowley uniform' of black suit and knee high leather boots, Mills has seen one too many Bowie video!

Musical eastern-mystic masterpieces 'Great Hosannah' and 'Govinda' finish the evening on a high, Kula Shaker have more than delivered. The whole set worked incredibly well and was nicely balanced throughout, here's hoping Kula shaker climb back to the musical peak, and that paradise where they belong. The cup of tea was lovely, you wouldn't get that at an Oasis gig.

Set list:
Kick Out The Jams
Hey Dude
Out On The Highway
Second Sight
Jerry Was There/Grateful When You're Dead
303
Mystical Machine Gun
Shower Your Love
Hurricane Season
Tattva
Hush
True Love
Song Of Love
*************
Sound Of Drums
Great Diktator (Of The Free World)
Great Hosannah
Govinda

FUTURE GIGS

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