King Khan and the Shrines @Oxford Art Factory, Sydney(06/01/2010)

Fri 8th Jan, 2010 in Gig Reviews

Curse you, King Khan. 2010 was only six days old, and now I have to face the possibility that the next 259 days won’t top this one.

It’s a regular problem: summertime sees Australia inundated by touring acts and festivals, each offering a heady mix of local and international talent. As soon as the leaves start to brown, though, we enter a lean period that lasts through the winter, until December rolls around again.

Right now, I’m holding on to the hope that the always-spectacular Wilco come out swinging when they arrive in May. They’ve got their work cut out for them, and it’s all down to a pot-bellied, occasionally semi-naked Indian guy and his dynamite backing band.

It was a night to turn upside down all your preconceived ideas. Think a lead singer kitted out in a feathered headdress and leopard-print jacket is ridiculous? You’re probably wrong: King Khan rocked this look, with heavy gold jewellery to boot, and it couldn’t have been more thrilling. Think German folk are better suited to Kraftwerk than sweaty soul? If Booker T needs a replacement MGs any time soon, he need look no further than the Shrines and their unrelenting funk. And an on-stage cheerleader/go-go dancer is not just a good idea; it should be mandatory.

The best funk bypasses the brain and goes straight for the shoulders – and so it was for every minute of the Shrines’ stage time. Delivered with a raw, unchecked energy, King Khan and co. not only bypass the brain, they render it useless – after only a few bars, you’d struggle to remember where you live, and dammit, you wouldn’t care.

King Khan is a magnetic frontman, delivering every “oww” and “yeah” with such conviction you’d think he gave James Brown lessons. Every move – from the call-and-response vocal to the delirious crowd invasions – was copped from some ancient playbook, and no one could care less.

Good luck, everyone who comes through Sydney for the next few months: you’ve got your work cut out for you.