Bürgerhaus Stollwerck, Cologne, Germany25nd February 2026
Kula Shaker - “Wormslayer Tour” - Support: Floral Image
Anyone who grew up with Britpop in the 90s could hardly ignore KULA SHAKER. The London band led by frontman Crispian Mills shook up the scene at the time with a unique sound: a colourful fusion of classic Guitar Rock, psychedelic elements and Indian influences - including sitar, tabla and spiritual Sanskrit chants. Hits such as ‘Tattva’, ‘Govinda’ and their legendary Joe South cover ‘Hush’ made them famous worldwide in the mid-90s.
Floral Image
Before KULA SHAKER took to the stage, the audience was treated to an immersive experience of the British neo-psych scene from 9 p.m. onwards. Norwich-based band FLORAL IMAGE opened the evening as the support act and demonstrated why they are considered an insider tip. With their sound, reminiscent of a mixture of 60s Psychedelia and modern Indie elements, they definitely struck a chord with the audience. The band played an atmospheric set that focused on songs from their debut album ‘Gone Down Meadowland’, released in 2025.
Kula Shaker
After a few creative breaks and reorientations in the 2000s and 2010s, the band recently experienced a creative high and has been regularly releasing new material for the past four years, even with the line-up that released KULA SHAKER’s legendary debut album ‘K’ in 1996: Chrispan Mills (vocals, guitar), Alonza Bevan (bass, backing vocals), Paul Winterheart (drums, backing vocals) and Jay Darlington (keyboard). The four Brits returned in early 2026 with their eighth studio album, ‘Wormslayer’. This was the context for the concert in Cologne on 25 February: the current European tour is not merely a nostalgic exercise, but presents a band that is eager to perform their new material on stage with the same energy as their classics.
Music & Performance
It was shortly after 10 p.m. when the lights dimmed in the packed Bürgerhaus Stollwerck and KULA SHAKER took to the stage to kick off the evening with ‘Lucky Number’. The atmosphere in the small club was good from the start - a harmonious mix of loyal fans who had been with the band since the beginning and a younger audience who had discovered the handmade magic of psychedelic rock for themselves. Cologne attracted an incredibly international audience.
Frontman Crispian Mills presented himself throughout the evening as a charismatic frontman who effortlessly had the audience in the palm of his hand with his mixture of rock attitude and spiritual serenity. The band's technical precision was spot on - earthy grooves alternated skilfully with sprawling, psychedelic instrumental passages. The light show also had a psychedelic feel to it. It was very special: another table had been set up behind the mixing desk. On this table, a light artist was working with three deep glass plates in which he moved coloured liquids. These plates were illuminated from below and filmed from above by small cameras pointing vertically downwards. What the cameras captured was projected onto the stage, creating a colourful spectacle that also shone on the four musicians on stage.
On this Wednesday evening, KULA SHAKER impressively demonstrated that they have lost none of their mystical charisma when performing live. The concert was a cleverly coordinated journey through 30 years of band history with a focus on new material. Tracks from the new album ‘Wormslayer’, such as the driving single ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’ and the dark, rocking title track, fit seamlessly into the repertoire. For the encore, the British band finally pulled out their biggest hits: ‘303’, ‘Tattva’, ‘Hush’ and finally ‘Govinda’ are, of course, a must. Naturally, the atmosphere was at its peak here. This was also because Chrispian Mills invited the audience to sing along more and more, and the folks became noticeably more active.
In the end, it's safe to say that this performance was much more than just a simple retro trip. KULA SHAKER delivered a rousing concert evening that skilfully bridged the gap between their glorious roots and their musical present.
Setlist
01. Lucky Number
02. Good Money
03. Charge of the Light Brigade
04. Broke as Folk
05. Natural Magick
06. Infinite Sun
07. Shower Your Love
08. Grateful When You're Dead / Jerry Was There
09. Be Merciful
10. The Winged Boy
11. Day For Night
12. Wormslayer
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13. 303
14. Tattva
15. Hush (Joe South cover)
16. Isn’t It a Pity (George Harrison cover)
17. Govinda
All pictures by André Wilms
