The Khruangbin Phenomenon

I had the pleasure of seeing Khruangbin live at Red Rocks last week. Casually familiar with their music, they have A TON of buzz around them and I knew I needed to see their live show to understand what all the hype was about.

They did not disappoint. The word everyone seems to be using about their show is "mesmerizing". It's true.

If you don't know anything about Khruangbin, they're a trio from Houston Texas and their sound is hard to define. I call it Surf Rock, but they play in different realms including Psychedelic Rock, Grooves, Funk, Soul, and even a little dance. What's most impressive above all else is they have minimal lyrics and hooks - the guitar parts (played by Mark Speer) often take the place of a vocalist and his distinct style is what drives the band and makes their songs recognizable.

When I say mesmerizing, it's all about their live show. Primarily bassist Laura Lee and they way she moves around the stage, often dancing and shaking her hips, even doing high kicks while she plays.

The group has released four albums and they have almost 1MM followers on Instagram. They don't have any notable mainstream radio hits and I could not sing any of their songs for you. All I could do is hum a melody.

Their two nights at Red Rocks (capacity 10,000 people)? Sold out.

​Their IG feed​ is more focused on their fans ("People Everywhere") than the band itself.

I love success stories like this. The fun part is trying to pinpoint what made them successful. Their sound is unique and consistent, and it's comforting. You can put on their music while you're hanging out at home, or you can play it when you're riding into the sunset or hanging out at the beach. It's just easy.

It just goes to show that you don't need big hits to be successful. You need to find your sound, get really good at it, and stay consistent. The fans will come. And when they do, you need to engage with them and celebrate them.

Focus on your work. Focus on your sound, and get really good at it. Thank every fan who listens to your music, who follows you on socials, and who comes to your show. They didn't have to do those things. We all have time and money that can be spent elsewhere.

You don't have to be Khruangbin, but you do have to think about how to build a good brand around your art. And embrace the community that follows.