Openers can be headliners, too. Even, or especially, at a record release.
Carnatic rock crew KulfiGirls, whom this site has previously lauded for their genre-sweeping examinations of pop n’ roll, celebrated the publication of their debut album at Johnny Brenda’s on Sunday by sharing the spotlight with two other local bands: Kikashima and Kelsey Cork & The Swigs.
It was “K” to the third power, and the party was unrelenting. KulfiGirls packed the house for their special show, offering the first two groups a chance to showcase the authority of supporting acts over audience energy. Kikashima and Kelsey Cork boast deeply different sounds, but are equally adept at building and sustaining crowd appeal.
Where Kikashima was open, operatic and precise, Kelsey Cork and The Swigs were insular, loose and loud. Somehow, maybe through the force of rock, the bands imparted the same effervescent effect.
Kikashima, the band name and moniker of Mexican-Japanese-California singer/songwriter and now Philly-based Carissa Matsushima, stirred up the show with star vocal chops, crowd call and response, and a cover of Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck Babe.” Bassist Parker St. Charles channeled the laid-back spirit of “The Dude,” from The Big Lebowski, an endearingly incoherent match to Kikashima’s easily inhabited pop star persona.
As Kikashima reached soaring high notes with marine-like command, the crowd followed along to nearly every lyric with surprisingly on-par pitch. The facade of perfection overlaid an animalistic quality — evidenced by the crowd’s uncontrollable engagement and Kikashima’s interspersed carnivorous yelps — that could be described as distinctly Philadelphian. Post-show fist bumps between the three bandmates only made me like them more.
Kesley Cork & The Swigs undid Kikashima’s good-girl energy through an injection of indie sleaze self-articulated as “rock n’ roll kool-aid” that combines punk, blues and garage rock into one. The highlight was when the guitarist used a pink and blue Elf Bar in place of a metal slide. In that moment, yet another musical genre was born: Vape twang.
Every member of the band had Olympic swag. The drummer was weeping in sweat by the set’s end. The guitar player blasted the amp so hard that it sounded like his instrument was screaming while speeding around a race track. Frontwoman Kelsey Cork exercised a heavily slanted tonality while slurring lines about waking up on dirty floors; lovers who like you only when you hate yourself; bloodshot eyes; steam rollers; and the solitude of rejection.
It was an extended scene of high-intensity lust and angst. And it was impressive that at no point did the room’s vigor falter in response.
As for the KulfiGirls' diverse mix of rock, pop and South Indian psychedelia, read our prior rave review here. You may have missed their turn at keeping high volume running on tap, but there's no need to keep missing out: Definitely stream their new album, “Divinity,” now.
