Words: Laura Mills
Photography: Sahar Ghadirian
A wet Monday night down at the mill – the weather is cold but the temperature is heating up from the tension rising up through the crowd.
After four years Sundara Karma are now ready to play another gig in the Steel City and the lot of us’ are absolutely buzzing.
The band kick off their set with the iconic ‘She Said’ and this Monday crowd lap it up. Everyone in the room is singing their hearts out to “She said I don’t wanna go out chasing / I kinda wanna go out dancing” as Oscar belts out those velvety vocals which leave our ears begging for more.
The atmosphere is electric but even more electrifying is the guitar solo in this track riffs and chords whirling around our minds like a daydream. Likewise, Oscar’s stripped back vocals even though for a few mere seconds make their mark on the evening as a firm favourite of mine.
As we move further into the set, we say hello to two newer tracks in the form of ‘Baby Blue’ and ‘Miss Again’. The crowd interaction and eye contact from the band is pristine, it’s what Sundara Karma do best – they put on a f**cking show.
With the energy levels rising through Leadmill’s roof Oscar continues luring his crowd into going crazier and crazier by getting closer to the crowd until he’s almost part of these adoring fans sending everyone into absolute mayhem.
The band are on fine form tonight looking sharp in sleek black leather with an air of swagger pulsating off them as they perform to their fans.
We move through the set list stopping at the ultra-groovy with unbelievable funky riffs ‘Illusions’ into ‘Friends of Mine’ as the crowd’s reaction gets more immense.
As we hit the fan favourite the bouncing starts, from ‘A Young Understanding’, ‘Loveblood’ and ‘Olympia’. This Leadmill crowd simply cannot get enough as we move through amazing bridges, Bowie-like vocals and immense instrumentals.
Moving through the set list we finally we reach our last track of the night. We all knew it was coming, we did; it was evitable, but when Sundara Karma launch into ‘Flame’ the moment is so sweet, so tremendous and so beautiful.
The crowd go wild; whatever is left of their Red Stripes is now in the air or in someone’s hair but I don’t think one sole in the room cares.
What a night, what a band. Sundara Karma we bloody love you!
