On April 12, 2025, Khruangbin made their way to the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in the Woodlands. Their hometown show served as a unique music experience for the city of Houston.
Khruangbin consists of Laura Lee (bass), Mark Speer (guitar), and Donald “DJ” Johnson (drums). They formed the band in 2010 in the ever-changing melting pot of southern Houston. The band’s eclectic sound best captures the hyper-local vibe of Houston, which immediately made them stand out in the scene. The band’s name refers to the Thai word for “airplane,” illustrating a unified approach to musical influences coming from all over the world. Although Khruangbin is recognized universally, their hometown concert got the city of Houston to come together and celebrate their homecoming.
The trio’s set incorporated their modern style of Thai funk and psychedelia, while performing their latest album, A La Sala. As the band began with their album title track “A La Sala,” a contemplative mood shaped the entire evening. Throughout the night, Khruangbin showcased their newer songs like “Fifteen Fifty-Three,” “May Ninth,” and, “Pon Pón,” which demonstrated their ability to create expansive sounds. The first set ended with the melancholic “Les Petits Gris”. The stage was dimmed grey, featured the soothing sound of rainfall with the light resembling lightning – the perfect lead to an intermission.
Set two was officially a go as soon as Lee, Speer and Johnson returned to their respective spots to perform what felt like a ‘greatest hits’ set. They performed fan favorites from their past albums like Mordechai and Con todo el mundo. Songs included “First Class” and “Lady and Man.” The best highlight of this set was the energetic groove that infused the crowd with excitement during “Evan Finds the Third Room” and “Pelota”. The second half of the set was over, which left people with a need to dance.
The encore was a touching conclusion that embodied the trio’s bond with their hometown audience. With the reflective tracks like “So We Won’t Forget” and “Zionsville,” the trio deepened their connection with Houston with no big declarations or showy finales, just pure music. The night ended with “People Everywhere (Still Alive)”, a celebratory groove that sent the audience dancing off, bound together by the warmth they felt from the band.
Khruangbin was a band of so little words… but they let all of the music and instrumentals do the talking. Their musical presence was immense, and the audience could tell the entire time how happy they were to be home. From Lee’s minor note on her setlist that state “Houston, my home, I <3 U” to the band’s constant fan interactions, its clear why they are such a favorite in the space city. Hopefully next time, it doesn’t take another 3 years to make a hometown return – Khruangbin, Houstonians love you!
I'm a full-time music journalist/photographer from Houston, number one Paramore fan and Husky dog owner. I have a B.S in Radio-Television-Film from UT Austin and a M.A in Mass Communications from the University of Houston, which makes me smart! On top of being an avid concert-goer and movie fanatic, I love bonding with others over the power of local music and media.
