The words intimate and arena aren’t a complimentary pair – it’s hard to imagine feeling a closeness emanate around a cavernous space filled with thousands of strangers. But when psych-rock band Khruangbin play Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena as part of their world tour later this month, that’s the feeling the band will seek to create for their audience.
The three-piece band’s vocalist/guitarist Mark Speer, who plays alongside vocalist/bassist Laura Lee and drummer Donald Johnson, explains that this vision ties to the concept behind their fourth studio album, A La Sala.
“[It’s] a very intimate sounding record… we're going to try and turn that arena into an intimate living room,” says Speer.
An arena-sized living room might seem far-fetched, but if you’re familiar with Khruangbin’s live shows, you’d agree that they’re the type of act that could pull it off. Having seen them play the expansive outdoor space of Sidney Myer Music Bowl in 2022, I can attest that their smooth, warm sound effortlessly enveloped the thousands of people in the audience.
On this latest tour, which will also stop in Sydney and Brisbane, the Texan outfit are playing a two-act setlist – with the first half devoted to showcasing the band’s new album in its entirety. A La Sala was intentionally designed to create a experience that’s evocative of listening to music in your living room – which explains why its title translates from Spanish as ‘to the room’.
Speer says after touring the new album for the last 11 months, the new album’s tracks have taken on a life of their own.
“The evolution that happens is one that occurs as you continue to play it live, night after night… I want the song to evolve and decide what it wants,” he says. “I want to let the music be malleable.”
When Khruangbin first played Melbourne in 2019, it genuinely was an intimate affair, with a comparably much smaller crowd at the Croxton Bandroom in Thornbury. A second show was added to meet the huge demand, one that hasn’t waned since from Australian fans.
Speer says the band began to really notice their popularity here after the release of the Texas Sun EP, a collab with soul singer Leon Bridges, back in 2020.
“When we released Texas Sun, it seemed to be massive in Australia for some reason… [we’re] glad to have the love, [we] appreciate it.”
Speer seems to have a soft spot for Aussie culture – eager to drop his knowledge into our conversation as he talks about his first time visiting here.
“[The first trip] changed what I know about Australia… there's only so much you can learn by watching The Castle over and over again.”
Speer says he was “really pleasantly surprised” with Australian crowds when the band first toured six years ago, particularly enamoured by our smaller music festivals, like Golden Plains, which the band played in 2019.
“[They’re] pretty wholesome and homey… in the bush, they’re just beautiful,” he says. “[I’m] looking forward to coming Down Under.”
Khruangbin will play at Margaret Court Arena on February 25 and 26, and then head to Brisbane to play on March 2, before finishing the Australian tour with three shows in Sydney from March 5 to 7. There are limited tickets available, so snap one up as soon as possible via Ticketek to avoid missing out. Head to Frontier Touring for more information.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.