KULA SHAKER TURN GLASGOW’S OLD FRUITMARKET INTO A PSYCHEDELIC CATHEDRAL
LIVE REVIEW | KULA SHAKER | OLD FRUIT MARKET, GLASGOW | 11th February 2026 by Ella Dowell
I feel very proud to be a fan of Kula Shaker after their stunning performance at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow. My Mum introduced me to Kula Shaker when I was little, so last night we hopped across the Clyde to Merchant City, and both saw them for the first time. Aww. I had already pre-empted that this gig would be special, considering their dynamic discography, but the production value of this gig was astonishing.
The London kaleidoscopic 4 piece transformed the (already seriously braw) Old Fruitmarket into what I can only describe as a psychedelic cathedral, littered with incense and lit from door to stage by San Francisco’s “Mad Alchemist” Lance Gordon. I spent some of the gig just watching the Mad Alchemist as he created these organic visuals from the back of the room, it was fascinating. Plates, projectors, oils and dyes, I had never seen anything like it in my life! And I have been nerding out about it all day…
The venue felt like a spiritual shared space, and it was the perfect canvas to be rocked by the enchanting Kula Shaker. The Old Fruitmarket was chosen as the venue by the crowd themselves via a fan board, as explained by frontman Crispian Mills, which I thought was lovely; learning that made the gig feel even more sacred. They opened with ‘Lucky Number‘, a new single from their 2026 album ‘Wormslayer’, before diving into more of their transcendent tracks. Their performance was truly incredible, such an eclectic and beautiful mix of instruments and styles often accompanied by the purifying voice of Trippy Mukherjee, known as Triparna. Her elegance was captivating every time she was on stage, and she sang with the most beautiful Hindustani classical vocals. Her voice was certainly my personal highlight.
What I love most about Kula Shaker is that they appeal to a wide range of people, and that was definitely apparent last night. From hippies to geezers, rockers to Grannies, everyone was in awe of the experience given to us by this band last night. Their setlist was heavy on the gorgeous and funky tracks from their 2025 album ‘Natural Magick’ and their new album ‘Wormslayer’, fronted by wonderful Crispian, an epic performer.
Speaking to some of the gig-goers after the show, however, I found a slight disappointment among many of the 90s fans, who weren’t as familiar with the recently released material, and fancied blowing off a bit more steam than they did. It was apparent that some of the audience were struggling to engage with the new material; for a few of the newer songs, the floor audience could be seen chatting away. In a quieter song, I could even hear that general murmur sound over the band, sad. That said, the crowd were all buzzing afterwards, and everybody that I spoke to assured me that they had a fantastic time.
Kula Shaker closed the show with an explosive 8-minute rendition of their 90s hit ‘Govinda’, and it was so special. All the beautiful layers of their sound, paired with the most incredible light show and a sea of movers and shakers. My lovely Mum described the gig as a spiritual awakening, bless her. We truly had the best time, whether gazing in awe or dancing about doing our wine-fuelled double act…
Visually, this was one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to. There are gigs, and then there are performances, and then there’s Kula Shaker’s magical hippy indie circus at the Old Fruitmarket. I would do it all again!
