KARNATAKA | LIVE REVIEW
The Globe, Cardiff, Sun 3 Apr
A wet evening in Cardiff was made brighter by a spectacular show: Karnataka’s special blend of progressive and Celtic rock. This was the second night of their Secret Of Angels European tour, as indeed it was for some of the audience determined to follow them around the country. The Swansea band spans 20 years and have experienced all the ups and downs of a career in the music industry. Karnataka’s name might be steeped in ancient and modern history, but Karnataka are firmly footed in the modern world.
A sophisticated stage setup, including bass pedals plus the distinctive lack of speaker stacks and monitors, gave the stage an uncluttered freeform feel. This space gave Hayley Griffiths, formerly of Riverdance and Lord Of The Dance, plenty of room even on a smallish stage to move, dance and visit the other band members as and when they took over from her vocal duties. Karnataka’s set – notably their first four songs – was predominantly drawn from the award-winning album Secrets Of Angels, while later on they dipped into previous albums The Gathering Light and The Storm and stepping into the future with a new track, Twist Of Fates.
Tonight it was the harmonization to the point of perfection that stood out. At times, vocals are used as a fifth musical instrument; fretwork on the guitar creates a wall of magical sounds, including some delectable slide. Add in the textured keys and the power of a rhythm section that does so much more than hold the beat, and you have the perfect powerful potion that is Karnataka.
Amongst the highlights of the night were Poison Ivy and Fairytale Lies, ethereal in tone as the vocals and keys reveal a world we want to escape from. The title track from Secrets Of Angels closed the magnificent show and we were enthralled as the music encased us for 20 minutes. Rock music that hits all the right places was delivered tonight by Karnataka, shouting “We are back, at the top of our game!”
words and photos LIZ AIKEN