Kishi Bashi is a hard musician to put a label on and a hard guy to write an article about. His stated inspirations range from Immanuel Kant’s philosophy, Brazilian jazz, and Japanese-American internment camps, along with many more. Listening to his music only added to the confusion, leaping track to track from upbeat dance anthems to soulful, rich violin melodies. As a result, I was very confused going to the Kishi Bashi concert at the Outset on October 18th.
Upon reaching the venue, I was greeted by a fantastically long line, stretching down the entire street, as it turned out to be a sold out show. Before the concert began, I interviewed the people in front of me in line. They were just as confused as me when I asked what I should expect, offering ideas of country, electronic, and classical violin. It seemed I would just have to find out through experiencing it. The mysterious aura I was feeling was compounded by the surroundings at the venue. With aesthetic music playing, cargo containers, and a VW bus, all bathed in red light, the vibe outside the venue only added to the feeling that I was about to witness something mythical. The mystery burned deep inside me, what was this show about to be like?
That mystery would have to wait, as I was treated by Sweet Loretta, Kishis opener, a fantastic group of Britons who performed an excellent blend of classic funk with a modern twist. Their songs were delightfully groovy, and the addition of bringing Mike Sevino on stage only amplified the fun. Mike, a long time collaborator with Kishi Bashi, added his psychedelic banjo (what a great invention) to the mix. Together they provided fantastic opening music and fun crowd interactions. Throughout the whole show, you could feel that the musicians were really enthralled to be there, and Sweet Loretta set that tone early. After a fantastic set of originals and a wonderful cover of “Baby Come Back”, the energy was high and everyone was ready to boogie.
Finally, the lights turned back on and a giant “KISHI BASHI” appeared on the LED backing screen; it was time. Kishi Bashi came on stage with members of Sweet Loretta as his band. They donned matching suits adorned with sequins, and after plugging in and tuning their instruments, it was showtime. Kishi began by thanking the crowd sincerely.
Before I discuss the meat and potatoes of the concert, I feel it is beneficial to fill you in with some Kishi Bashi lore, as it explains much of the concert. Throughout the concert, audience interaction was extremely prevalent and encouraged by Kishi, much more than any other concerts I’ve been to. Everyone’s song began and ended with some sort of spoken introduction, transition, commentary, or joke. This all felt very organic, and it seemed like he was performing for the love of his fans. I came to find out that Kishi got his start from crowdfunded albums through donations and private shows. I actually met multiple people who participated in this crowdfunding, most of them had found out about him through his previous bands and had loved him so much that when they found out he was going solo they were willing to fund his process. This has led to a very intimate bond between Kishi Bashi and his fans, which was on display the entire night.
While the audience interaction was fantastic and added an extra layer to the show, the music stayed the highlight. Kishi Bashi came out with a backing band composed of the opening musicians, and after an introduction, launched into his songs. His music is incredibly layered, with his electric violin sounding hauntingly beautiful. The songs were graciously funky and called you into movement. Repeatedly during the performance, Kishi would utilize a type of 8-track machine to loop sounds and add even more texture to his performance. This technique would be used to an even cooler effect when Kishi would perform on stage solo, using his beatboxing skills to add drum lines under his violin playing.
Stage presence and theatrics were also present for the performance. Steaks playing saxophone, full grecian warrior outfits, and showers of confetti all played a part in making the show as memorable as possible.
After the show, a promised encore came to life in an extremely memorable way. As it was a beautiful night out, and the Outset had a lovely lawn outside, Kishi Bashi thought it fitting to do an acoustic set on the lawn. All the musicians unplugged their instruments, donned giant basses and ukuleles, stood in the VW bus, and began their performance. Illuminated by iPhone flashlights and surrounded by a sold-out crowd, Kishi Bashi and friends sang a mix of originals and a cover of “Ooh LaLa” into the night. This performance felt incredibly special and organic, like a wonderful gift to us.
Kishi Bashi is still an enigma to me. His music throughout the show flowed from genre to genre, vibe to vibe, never allowing you to drift away, enveloping you in new musical experiences constantly. However, I now understand why people drive across state lines to support him. I understand the unity music brings a little more now.