Live Review + Gallery | Khruangbin @ Gunnersbury Park

Khruangbin

Gunnersbury Park, London

15th August 2025

Photography by Matt Wellham

Matt Wellham

After years of photographing and filming the London music scene, Matt’s now based in Sydney, Australia. A lover of the post-punk and alternative movement, he can usually be found in the grassroots venues, camera in one hand and a beer in the other.

Khruangbin brought their psychedelic sound to the main stage of Gunnersbury Park, with support from TV On The Radio and more

Khruangbin’s music is an interesting one to describe. It’s the sort of sound you might hear drifting from a cool independent clothing shop in East London, or from a tucked-away coffee house down the backstreets of a small coastal town. In other words, they strike a rare balance: universal in appeal, yet still feeling distinctive and independent. That collective allure was plain to see in Gunnersbury Park, as the band drew together an eclectic mix of fans from far and wide.

I arrived early, keen to catch all four artists on the bill. At first glance, the festival site felt relatively sparse, food and drink stalls lined the outer edge while a single stage stood tall on the northern side. But as the evening wore on, I came to appreciate the setup, wherever you stood, you had an unobstructed view of the performance.

First up was NoSo, the project of LA-based artist Baek Hwong, whose emotionally resonant music blends shimmering pop textures with indie rock, funk and experimental edges.

It’s never an easy slot, 5pm on a Friday. Set against a bare, unlit backdrop and facing a modest early crowd, the stage looked a little empty. But with NoSo’s lush production, chiming melodies and candid lyricism, it wasn’t long before the grounds began to fill.

NoSo proved themselves a skilled guitarist, balancing intricate rhythms with dreamy, expressive vocals. Their track ‘I Feel You’ was a standout, with slick hammer-ons rippling up the guitar neck in effortless fashion.

Next came a personal favourite of mine, Palace. The London-based four-piece have built one of the most consistent and emotive catalogues across four albums, yet always find ways to keep things feeling fresh.

By now the crowd had swelled, and soon Palace were playing ‘Greyhound’, the lead single from this year’s EP of the same name. Soaked in reverb, it showcased frontman Leo Wyndham’s voice at its finest. The track wrestles with the pain of being away from loved ones while touring, yet also savours the romance of being on the road with your best friends.

They followed up with fan favourite ‘Live Well’, a lush, cinematic soundscape that ebbed and flowed beneath Wyndham’s vocals. For the first time that evening, the crowd’s voice joined in at full force, belting out: “Live well, you reap what you sow, the future is bright if we can ebb with the flow.” A beautiful moment that lingered with me long after.

Tracks like ‘Gravity’ and ‘Let’s Go Swimming’ gave the band a chance to showcase their smooth harmonies, while ‘Heaven Up There’, a seven-minute epic, built into an incredible crescendo. As I stared at the stage, I felt completely transfixed. It was one of those rare songs that slows time down and makes the world fade away. It reaffirmed exactly why Palace remains on such heavy rotation in my discography.

As the sky deepened into shades of orange and shadows lengthened across the park, it was time for alternative rock legends TV On The Radio.

Known for their experimental blend of soul, electronica, and rock, underpinned by poetic, thought-provoking lyrics, their grittier approach stood out from the rest of the line-up. But boy, were we in for a treat.

They launched into ‘Young Liars’, an almost new-wave sounding track, with frontman Tunde Adebimpe immediately throwing himself across the stage. Leaning out toward the audience and reaching for outstretched hands as he sang, “Thank you for taking my hand,” intensity stretched across his expression. Around me in the photo pit, fans dressed in the band’s merch screamed every word back at him.

The energy didn’t stop there. After rallying the crowd with chants of “Free, free Palestine”, they tore into ‘Wolf Like Me’, a barnburner that had even those lounging at the back of the field up on their feet and bouncing. At one point I caught a security guard next to me quietly moshing and singing along, clearly secretly a fan.

They closed with ‘Staring At The Sun’, its heavy synths cutting through the night air as Adebimpe howled about death and the afterlife. The band spun around the stage, exchanging smiles as the crowd roared back at them. They felt every bit like headliners.

And then came the real headliners: Khruangbin.

As darkness settled, the stage filled with haze before soft pink light glowed from behind their iconic arched backdrop. Without a word, the Texan trio slid into ‘A Love International’ from last year’s ‘A La Sala,’ their relaxed, psychedelic groove immediately setting a meditative tone. Drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson Jr. kept an unfaltering beat while guitarist Mark Speer and bassist Laura Lee strutted across the stage in perfect synchronicity, Lee’s trademark high kicks punctuating the beat. For those keen-eyed, you’d notice that even their pauses for water were choreographed.

From there, the set unfolded like a dream sequence. Warm orange and pink hues washed over the crowd as each song gave space for the players to shine, weaving together tracks and moments that felt less like songs and more like chapters in a story. The visuals were understated but effective, haze, soft hues and their silhouettes.

Tracks such as ‘May Ninth’ and ‘White Gloves’ were highlights for the trio’s harmonies, as their voices melted together in smooth, hypnotic waves. Around me, couples and groups of friends swayed together, arms draped over shoulders, caught up in the band’s sun-drenched sound.

But Khruangbin shifted gears late in the set, dropping ‘Time (You and I)’ straight into ‘People Everywhere (Still Alive)’, two disco-infused tracks that sparked the biggest dance party of the night. Suddenly the entire park seemed to move as one.

For a band so often associated with small independent stores, Khruangbin proved beyond doubt that they are built for the big stage. They took the essence of their intimate, genre-hopping sound and expanded it into something communal and unforgettable.