Kimberly Bolander Staff Writer
-Wednesday, November 13, 1996
Kai Kln's name may be hard to pronounce, but their music is unmistakably pure, speeding and screaming rock 'n' roll, and a whole lot of fun.
So why didn't Chico know Kai Kln's name when the Sacramento band rocked the house Saturday at the Main Event in downtown Chico?
For a band that has shared stage time with the likes of Nirvana, Primus, Green Day and Bad Religion and easily holds their own in front of an audience, the group played to a pretty small crowd in the narrow hall of the downtown bar.
Nevertheless, Kai Kln (pronounced Kai-Kooln) managed to put the folks that were present into motion as the foursome cranked out some harder-rockin' jams that have been missing from the usual Chico music scene.
"Tell the bartender--this ain't no hippy-rock band!" yelled drummer Neil Franklin to the crowd.
Kai Kln's music is heavy on long, creative instrumentals accented by Gene Smith's incredible vocals.
Although he looked drawn at the beginning of the set, Smith's tired eyes soon melted the wallflower crowd as he showed off a subtle, sultry voice in smooth R & B style, then coaxed the rhythm into a fleeting jam with raw, screaming vocals and guitar.
With Smith at the mic, the audience was drawn to dancing and head-banging. One listener was even compelled to share his own vicious rendition of air-guitar.
While Smith's voice is especially intoxicating even when it's charged with rebellious angst, it doesn't overpower the talent that makes up the rest of Kai Kln.
Franklin on drums is mighty indeed, as he drives on at breakneck speeds and relentless jams. Guitarist Sherman Loper towers above the stage and keeps fast-paced time with Scott Anderson on bass guitar.
With the incredible tempo, Kai Kln manages to keep tight and quick. The band makes you think this is what Speed Racer would sound like if he could jam on guitar as fast as he drives: fast, exciting and colorful.
Kai Kln probably has a more well-balanced sound than many local bands, and it's unfortunate that not enough people heard this for themselves.
Cindy Rosser, swaying to the tunes, said she liked the music, but it wasn't what she normally came out to see.
"I guess I'm just more into hippy-type stuff," Rosser said. "This is different for me, but it's fun, too."
Kai Kln describes their music as a radical mix of everything.
"We used to be called a 'speed hippy' band, or 'Cream on 45.' That was one of my favorite analogies for us," Loper said. "Now we're really blossoming into real rock 'n' roll and we've got our own style."
"It's all fun music, whether that means playing a punk song or a hippie sound," Franklin said.
Franklin described the wide range of styles, tempos and instruments on the new album, which will be released in January. The band said the album will include songs using conga drums and saxophone mixed in with a "country-western-reggae" tune.
While Kai Kln puts forth some great music, sometimes with a heavy dose of emotional baggage, they really seem to enjoy entertaining the crowd with little stories and a lot of playfulness.
At a bigger show with a wider stage, Kai Kln might package a few little side shows between songs to give the audience a laugh. The group said they liked to have their roadies perform "Roadie Aerobics" or show off "all the latest fall fashions" for their audiences.
"It's like watching mini B-movies," Loper said. "It keeps things spontaneous, and a little wacky."
Franklin said he just likes to keep the band's performances entertaining.
"Basically we're just good-humored guys out there trying to play some good rock 'n' roll. If we can bring a smile to [the listeners'] faces, we feel like we've done a good job," he said.
The faces at Saturday's show were too few, but they were smiling, dancing and laughing long after the band's personal charm warmed them up. It's too bad more people didn't show to hear a talented, needed alternative to the usual bar scene.
If you didn't catch Kai Kln this time, don't miss the group's show with Mother Hips at the Oasis on Nov. 23. Kai Kln is also hosting a "party bus" luxury-liner trip from Sacramento to their show at La Salle's on Dec. 13. Tickets for this party tour are $20. For more information, call (916) 334-1985.
Copyright (c) Wednesday, November 13, 1996 by The Orion
