On Wednesday, October 8, 2025, I traveled to San Francisco, California, to attend a concert at the Regency Ballroom. The headliners for the evening were The Dandy Warhols, with Kula Shaker opening for them as part of Psyched! Fest 2025. The show was fantastic, and the energy of the crowd was incredible.
When Kula Shaker hit the stage, the audience was greeted by a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The venue was adorned with a psychedelic motif that enveloped the band members. They opened with “Tattva”, a mellow and melodic tune that set the pace for what was to come.
Next, they performed a Hawkwind song titled “Hurry On Sundown”, which they executed fabulously. This stunning tribute to a cherished band from England featured a harmonica that added a beautiful effect to the track. Following that, they played “Shower Your Love”, a solid tune with an intriguing sound that resonated well.
The next song was “Grateful When You’re Dead”, a more upbeat number with a fantastic keyboard track. The impressive guitar work added to the energy as they jammed through the song. The subsequent track, “Jerry Was There”, maintained the sonic flow from the previous song but took on a mellower tone, stirring the crowd as if they were part of the band.
One of the standout songs of the night was “Idon’twannapaymytaxes”. This track had everyone rocking to the beat, and its lyrics resonated with many in the audience. They continued with three more impressive songs: “Into the Deep”, a new track titled “Good Money”, and “Day For Night”. Each of these was performed exceptionally well.
Next, they covered the Joe South song “Hush”, a song best known for its rendition by Deep Purple. Kula Shaker delivered a killer version that showcased their talent. Finally, they closed the set with “Govinda”, a song that brought the energy to a peak before tapering off.
The entire performance was stellar, and the loud applause from the crowd at the end demonstrated the success of the evening.
Follow Kula Shaker band members on social media
Crispian Mills – lead vocals, guitar, tamboura, harmonica
Alonza Bevan – bass, vocals
Paul Winterhart – drums, percussion
Jay Darlington – keyboards, organ, mellotron, backing vocals
Setlist
1). Tattva
2). Hurry On Sundown (Hawkwind cover)
3). Shower Your Love
4). Grateful When You’re Dead
5). Jerry Was There
6). Idon’twannapaymytaxes
7). Into the Deep
8). Good Money
9). Day For Night
10). Hush (Joe South cover)
11). Govinda
The Dandy Warhols took the stage to a thunderous round of applause. They kicked off their set with “Ride”, a song that perfectly captured the vibe of the night. The mellow sound of the track had everyone settling in, and the crowd was more than alright with that. Next up was “You Were the Last High”, which had everyone relaxing and enjoying the moment. The catchy, laid-back beat got the audience swaying, creating an incredible atmosphere.
“Plan A” followed, bringing a slightly more upbeat tone. However, the overall ambiance of the night remained mellow, and no one seemed to mind as they played on. The next three songs—”Be Alright”, “I Love You”, and “I’d Like to Help You with Your Problem”—were crowd favorites and added to the lively energy. It was a rocking time with those tracks.
This show was particularly special because it was the last one of the tour, and the band was clearly having a blast performing. Up next was “STYGGO”, a standout track from their *Distortland* album released in 2016. Before the next song, they gave a shout-out to their hometown of Portland, Oregon, referencing the recent riots there. They expressed excitement about returning for the emergency naked bike ride, which they anticipated would attract about 20,000 participants.
The song “Holding Me Up” had crowd members singing along enthusiastically. They followed this with “Shakin'”, a well-rounded song that captivated the audience with its melodic charm. There was a brief delay when Zia had to use the restroom, but rather than wait, the band decided to play “Every Day Should Be A Holiday” without her, and the audience went wild. Everyone sang and danced along during that performance.
When Zia returned, they picked up the setlist with “We Used to Be Friends”, which they played with renewed energy. The atmosphere was electric as they nailed the song with passion. At one point, audience members threw items on stage—first a joint, then a belt with a brass pipe belt buckle. Zia jokingly stated that anything thrown on stage was theirs to keep, and so they did.
The band continued with “Get Off”, “Bohemian Like You”, and “Godless”, all of which jammed brilliantly. Following these was “Pete’s International Airport”, a standout song that drew massive applause when it concluded. They then played “Boys Better”, which served as the final song of the night and was a perfect closer, wrapping up the event beautifully.
As the show came to a close, Zia led the crowd into a keyboard solo for a few minutes, culminating in a stirring round of applause. It truly was a tremendous night, and I’m sure everyone in attendance would agree.
Follow The Dandy Warhols band members on social media
Peter Holmstom – guitar, backing vocals, bass
Zia McCabe – Keyboards, bass, percussion, backing vocals
Courtney Taylor-Taylor – lead and backing vocals, guitar
Brent DeBoer – drums, backing vocals
Setlist
1). Ride
2). You Were the Last High
3). Plan A
4). Be Alright
5). I Love You
6). I’d Like To Help You With Your Problem
7). STYGGO
8). Holding Me Up
9). Shakin
10). Every Day Should Be A Holiday (played while Zia did a restroom break)
11). We Used To Be Friends
12). Get Off
13). Bohemian Like You
14). Godless
15). Pete’s International Airport
16). Boys Better
17). Zia Outro
Follow Kula Shaker on social media
Follow The Dandy Warhols on social media