Wednesday 17/05/06 Kula Shaker @ The Scala, London

May 19, 2006 by Michelle Connolly

The whispers in the music Press had been going around for some time but with Mills seemingly keen to get new band Jeeva out onto the road, surely the former East meets West indie alternos were consigned to be left in the last decade of Chris Evans-endorsed appearances on shows like Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush. But a secret gig at a small London pub just before Christmas and the announcement of a ‘warm-up’ tour can only spell one thing: comeback. And when there’s incense smouldering onstage you know you’re at a Kula Shaker gig. Tonight the Scala is crammed to bursting point to welcome the former Britpop FM faves back to what’s almost Britpop all over again. But thank God without Chris Evans this time. Given the current crop of psychedelic, stoner rock bands of the Wolfmother ilk, Kula Shaker have certainly picked the right time to be doing this reforming business.

“We’re going to play some old and new stuff tonight”, promises Crispian (pinstripe jacket, Levi’s) whilst deftly dodging projectile pints. The audience is split into those who’ve reached a lapsed state of being, those who are trying to get there and those who are lobbing lager. The new songs, taken from the ‘Revenge of the King’ extended player get everyone swaying and the liveliest number ‘Dictator of the Free World’, which takes a pop at (needless to say) George Bush, cranks things up even more but it’s plain those who aren’t smoking pot are relying on Mills and co to present an excuse to act like spotty teenagers again, so no wonder that ‘Tattva’, which gets its play halfway through the set, is the undisputed highpoint.

On seeing the band exit stage prior to the encore, one big bloke, sporting upright polo-shirt collar screams in the manner that upright collar-sporting polo-shirted types do: “play some bloody records will ya, I’ve paid money to come and see you!” And tunes they do play, rewinding the crowd into bouts of teenage hysteria with ‘Hey Dude’ and those who’ve convinced themselves they’re high on the incense or have taken the mock-Indian lyrics a little too seriously are pulled back into the sweat-drenched reality set to the gorgeous pop riffs of ‘Hush’. Final song of the night is ‘Govinda’ and all hands are raised aloft and (avoiding all inane analogies to bizarre Indian worship rituals) everyone’s just having a bloody amazing time.

You can keep up to date with all the latest news from Gigwise by following us on Twitter and liking us on Facebook.