I had wondered what the turnout would be like, especially considering the long gap between now and the band's last tour in 2017, but it was probably a bit healthier than I had expected. I had feared a rather sparse crowd, but a significant handful of people made the effort - and I have certainly seen The Wharf emptier than it was last night. It is a shame that not more people turned up, especially considering how busy the venue was for Mostly Autumn's show two days before, but the band seemed pleased with the numbers - and those who did turn up were certainly there to enjoy themselves. There was no support act, and the band played a 13-song set that filled the best part of two hours - which was made up of a number of Karnataka favourites and three new songs from the band's upcoming sixth studio album. The first of two sets, though, was largely packed full of favourites. The band took to the stage following an orchestral intro, and launched into their self-titled instrumental piece - during which new frontwoman Sertari joined her three bandmates towards the end for the wordless vocal melodies. This segued nicely into the epic The Serpent and the Sea, which has always been a favourite of mine. It was clear from the off that Sertari is the perfect fit for the band, but it took a few numbers for the live sound mix to level out. Due to Carrera's departure, the band are currently relying on triggered keyboard parts, and these were very low in the mix for much of the first set. This robbed the band of some of their trademark atmosphere, but it did allow the spotlight to be shone on Jones' busy bass playing - as well as the lead playing of Luke Machin (guitars). The second half of the set was better balanced sound-wise, but I still enjoyed the first few songs despite the band essentially sounding like a guitar-led power trio during parts of it. The Serpent and the Sea did lack some of its power as a result, though, but the snappier and poppier Tide to Fall fared better due to its simpler arrangement and its reliance on vocal hooks. It did not take me long to be convinced by Sertari, though, despite the muddy sound. As much as I liked Griffiths as a singer, I feel that Sertari is likely to be a better fit for the band all-round - and she already seems to feel at home. She nailed the material from the band's original run, too, with the personal favourite Delicate Flame of Desire sounding great despite the lack of prominent keyboards. Machin impressed during the song with a lengthy solo, too, although I was less convinced with him overall in the context of Karnataka. Machin is a real talent, and he shines in a more overt prog context, but his style was sometimes a bit too busy for Karnataka's precise, melodic sound in my opinion - and his overall tone felt thin, but this could have been due to the muddy sound mix. It is still early days for this version of Karnataka, though, and I feel that he will grow into the band as they play more shows together. One new song was featured in the first set: the lengthy Forgiven which was probably my favourite of the three new songs played. It felt like an old-school Karnataka classic, with an aching chorus and lots of great guitar playing - whilst a symphonic mid-section added some of the gothic drama that was present on Secrets of Angels. It was a great end to the first set, by which point the sound had levelled out somewhat and the band were hitting their stride.
The second set only included five songs, but they were all pretty lengthy and showed off the more progressive side of the band. After the short break they restarted the show with Road to Cairo, the only Secrets of Angels song to be played, which really suited Sertari's voice. As a singer, I feel that she is the perfect mix of the band's previous singers - whilst having her own sound. Griffiths was more of a powerful singer that perhaps lacked some of the emotional side of her predecessors, and I felt that she never quite managed to nail the material from the band's early days. Sertari managed to nail the material from all three of her predecessors whilst never sounding like a carbon copy of any of them - and Road to Cairo shone thanks to her interpretation of the Eastern-tinged melodies and floaty chorus. Another new number, All Around the World, was then played - and the song was easily the hookiest of the new numbers. Forgiven was my favourite, but the chorus of All Around the World certainly stuck in the brain, and it very much whet the appetite for the upcoming album. It was a shame to have to hear these songs without the 'full' band though. As much as I enjoyed the show, I do think that the lack of a keyboard player did hold the band back. Backing tracks are not true substitute for a keyboard player, and I feel that the band would have shone even more with a fifth member up there with them. The first set's muddy sound may not have been an issue with someone playing the parts - and I do wonder if the backing tracks were deliberately kept relatively low in the mix so as not draw too much attention to the fact that the band are a man down. Either way, though, Karnataka's sound needs a keyboard player. I understand why it was not possible to bring someone in at such short notice, but this does need to rectified for future tours - and I hope that the band do not rely on the pre-recorded keyboards going forward. This issue aside, though, the show was excellent, and when the band launched into Heart of Stone I was very happy. The song is another favourite, and Sertari nailed it - with the final, heroic chorus coming across really well. The final new number, Sacrifice, followed, and it was probably the simplest and most rocky of the new numbers. It did not make quite as much of an impression as the previous two, but I still enjoyed it - before the main set came to a close with an excellent rendition of Forsaken. The lack of a keyboard player was very noticeable here, though, as Sertari spent much of the opening and closing sections singing along with the pre-recorded piano parts - but she nailed it vocally, and Machin's interpretation of the lengthy guitar solo was very good. The band left the stage after the song finished, but their rest was only brief as they came back for one more lengthy track: The Gathering Light. The song has often been used as a show-closer, and it worked very well as such again. It is the sort of song that builds towards a joyous chorus, and it contains a number of melodies that just go round and round in the brain. It brought the show to a powerful and uplifting close, and the band certainly enjoyed the cheers as they took their bows. The setlist was:
Karnataka
The Serpent and the Sea
Tide to Fall
Delicate Flame of Desire
Your World
Time Stands Still
Forgiven
-
Road to Cairo
All Around the World
Heart of Stone
Sacrifice
Forsaken
-
The Gathering Light
Despite a couple of quibbles which I have mentioned throughout this piece, I had a really good time with Karnataka last night in Tavistock. The setlist was a great representation of some of the band's best work, and I really liked the three new songs played - with two in particular having the potential to be future Karnataka classics. Jones is clearly inspired by the band's new era from a songwriting perspective, and in Sertari he seems to have found the perfect foil. The band do need to fix the keyboard player situation before any future tours, though, as the instrument is key to the band's symphonic, atmospheric sound. I am sure that Jones knows this, though, and I hope that the reception to the new songs on this tour spurs him on to finish the new album - which I am really looking forward to now that I have had a taste of it.
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