“This is a big moment for us”, Gengahr dazzle at their hometown show at one of the Camden’s most iconic venues, KOKO.

Having spent a couple of weeks on the road in support of their recently released sophomore album, Where Wildness Grows, it was time for Gengahr to finally make their way back home.

Bathed in the reds and golds of the embellished tiered theatre, the audience was calmly waiting for the East London four-piece to emerge on stage. Gengahr’s crowd is not your everyday moshing type, although the anticipation was clearly hanging in the air. Gathered for a night of big celebration and appreciation of a true musical talent, we were ready to welcome the guys in the room.

KOKO’s dazzling lights played a complementary role to the whole set from the very beginning. With vibrant shades of pink covering the entire stage, Gengahr opened with the atmospheric new track, Is This How You Love?. The familiarity of Felix Bushe’s falsetto hit the ether instantly capturing the crowd in a blissful embrace.

Bouncing back and forth between their new material and the beloved songs from their debut album, A Dream Outside, the band kept a perfect balance making sure there would be something for old and new fans. Heroine was the one to bring along an outburst of euphoria early on in the set, whilst Embers reminded us how visionary and effervescent their guitar work truly is concluding in a proper guitar jam.

With a quite shy demeanour, Gengahr strike as introverts locked up in their own bubble. Their engagement with the crowd is kept to minimum, expressing their gratitude with just a few words in between the songs, such as “This is a big moment for us” and  “Thank you guys”. But that’s exactly when you realise how intense and cohesive their performance is. This is a band who precisely executes their live skills, not allowing for any interference from the outside world. They simply hypnotise and you can’t help but fall right into their haze.

There were some expectations of their new material, of course. Exploring a darker tonality but never forgetting about their signature dreamy sensibility and psychedelic roots, Gengahr’s new record was pushed to new heights that night. We were presented to an eerie melodic marvel that is the track I‘ll Be Waiting and the groovy swaying Before Sunrise, both showing Felix’s vocals in a bold new setting. Elsewhere in the set the pensive Pull Over fell as a strong counterpoint to the ecstatic but darkened Mallory before we were brought back onto the path of their debut album.

Harnessing fizzy melodies once more, the fan favourites Fill My Gums With Blood and She’s A Witch injected a spark of energy into the audience who were now starting to feel more comfortable to jump around. With Felix’s solo intro of Lonely As A Shark heralding the ending of the set, it was time for the last song. Diving into the complex soundscape of the absolute hit Carrion Gengahr rounded things off in an utterly remarkable manner, whilst the crowd was opening the mosh pit. Who would have thought, right?

Gengahr are a challenging band, there’s no doubt about that. But after countless nights of relentless moshing and piercing loudness that I usually experience at a show, their performance felt like a remedy giving me a chance to stop, reflect and appreciate the moment. And that’s what music should be all about.

Photos: Kasia Osowiecka