FIRST OF TWO SOLD OUT NIGHTS AT HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM

2020 welcomed English musician King Krule’s album Man Alive!. His tour planned for a stop in Los Angeles at The Hollywood Palladium; unfortunately the pandemic halted everything. After singles and flyers and merch for sale, singer Archy Marshall played a few shows in the UK before canceling everything moving forward. Come three years later, with a new album in hand, Marshall made his return with not one but two sold out nights at the same venue.

The newly renovated Palladium felt roomier and more grand, with gentler lighting and wider walkways for audience members to get by. Marshall and his band arrived at the venue a little bit before doors opened due to their bus breaking down, stranding them for several hours. Thus, opening act Slauson Malone1 had to be dropped from the bill. By 9:15PM, King Krule arrived on stage to the yells of a sold out ballroom, directly going into Man Alive! cut “Perfecto Miserable.” This was followed by another from the same record, “Alone, Omen 3” as if the band was playing out what could have been three years prior.

Marshall made comments in certain parts of the set, boosting the energy of the crowd. For example, after performing three tracks, he introduced the next one by stating, “This one’s from The OOZ.” The middle of the show consisted of latest album Space Heavy cuts including “Pink Shell” and “Hamburgerphobia.” “We’re gonna take things down a bit,” Marshall shared while he played opening song “Flimsier” which is a delicate introduction to the album. The track transitioned toward the end to new fan favorite “Seagirl” that ushered in guest vocalist Raveena Aurora. The pair shared a hug afterward.

Even with the headache of a bus breakdown and having to cancel the opening act, King Krule seemed to be enjoying the set, making jokes with the fans. They cheered “Archy” several times within the moments of song change, and he would retort with a cheer of his own: “Audience audience.” “Emergency Blimp” welcomed crowd surfing with the enigmatic energy of the band replicating the recklessness of the fans. “The album is about space so let’s make sure everyone has one,” Marshall made sure of people so everyone was on the same level of enjoyment while being safe. With his debut record under the King Krule moniker celebrating ten years last month, the band also played classics “Easy Easy” and “Baby Blue.” After a 23 song set, King Krule came back for an encore performance of “Out Getting Ribs.” The part soothing, part chaotic track proved perfect for the punctuation of the night.

The show was one of the few 2023 dates that featured 24 songs played as opposed to the usual 21 or 23. It was also the second to last show of the US tour. Post show, a handful of fans waited for an opportunity to meet the artist, a chance they would receive. Marshall shared hugs and signatures, photos with fans who praised his performance and music abilities. In a time where music is heavily dominated by lazy songwriting and catchy hooks with little substance, Archy Marshall prefers the silence between spaces. There will always be a group of fans acting rowdy or rude, but for the most part, Marshall took his breaths between songs, with the room becoming 90% silent, as if the show was an opera. King Krule returns to touring the UK beginning in early October and ending in November. Check out the setlist here!