Congratulations to Kymara, who just started her first residency at Casablanca. I had the privilege of attending her opening night, and it quickly became clear to me that this was going to be one of the best gigs I have attended.
Kymara was supported by the fantastic band Room Service, who had everyone clapping along. They have just released their latest single, ‘Plastic Cosmic Fantastic Hotel’, and are definitely worth watching out for. They began playing at around 8:30 p.m., getting the crowd warmed up and excited for Kymara to make her entrance just after 9:30 p.m..
Kymara’s music manages to ebb and flow through a range of genres, taking the audience on a journey consisting of raw soulful ballads, groovy jazz interludes, and joyful pop choruses. This variety of sounds is an effective vessel for her to share beautiful stories and authentic feelings with the crowd, who hung onto her every word. The stage itself was completely packed with, at one point, ten musicians sharing it at once. Featured instruments included a trumpet, a saxophone, and a set of congas, alongside the usual band staples. However, at no point did it feel overcrowded or cacophonous as each instrument added a crucial layer to the music, while the inclusion of sprawling musical interludes allowed every musician to take the spotlight and showcase their talent. The onstage dynamic exuded joy; it was so clear that every person on the stage had a deep care and respect for every musician beside them. The songs themselves were interspersed between jokey comments from various band members and bouts of raucous laughter. Kymara also managed to foster this sense of community within the crowd, with whom she consistently interacted, sharing the band’s elation with the audience. She even got everyone dancing along at one point, instructing the crowd to take “two steps forward and one step back” in time with the lyrics.
Photos: Fiona Muncaster
Kymara treated the crowd to a range of older tracks and her new unreleased songs. You can look forward to being amongst the first to hear the sensual ‘Room For Two’ or the joyful ‘First Love’. Kymara’s voice holds so much texture and depth, which she utilises to fill her songs with pure, unfiltered emotion. This, alongside her backing singers’ ethereal vocals and groovy melodies from her band, is enough to give anyone goosebumps. She easily balanced the vocal performances of her hopeful choruses in songs like ‘Current Weather’ with the formidable power of songs like ‘Elephant Walk’.
Kymara is magnetic. She has such raw vocal talent, and the way she commanded the room had me shocked that she was not already a household name. It is truly something that you need to see for yourself, and if you enjoy it as much as I did, you may find yourself returning for her subsequent shows. As Kymara put it, “Come back next week, we will do it again!”
Kymara will be playing at Casablanca Club every Friday at 8 p.m. until September 12th. Tickets retail at £9 per person. Tickets can be found at https://www.axs.com/uk/series/28584/kymara-tickets?skin=joyconcerts.