Utrecht, the Netherlands – Kishi Bashi has become a familiar presence on the Dutch live music scene, returning to the Netherlands regularly and building a loyal audience along the way. I’ve had the opportunity to cover several of his shows over the past few years, making this another chance to experience his unique blend of classical influences, indie pop and theatrical flair live. This time, he is on tour celebrating the 10th anniversary of Sonderlust.
The other times I’ve seen Kishi Bashi perform, he had a live band with him, but this time the setup was different. With nothing more than his violin and, occasionally, a guitar, he took to the stage. I was curious to see how he would pull this off, especially since his songs are often so rich and layered. As it turned out, he had no problem at all making it work.
Kishi Bashi opened the show with several songs from Sonderlust, including “m’Lover”, “Hey Big Star” and “Can’t Let Go, Juno”. He makes extensive use of looping, layering his violin and vocals to build up the songs and create a surprisingly full sound, despite being the only person on stage. Combined with his lively energy and plenty of humor, he had the audience engaged from the very beginning.
It was the final night of the tour, and his familiarity with the Netherlands was noticeable in the way he interacted with the audience. His Dutch was already quite impressive, which is perhaps not surprising considering how often he has performed here. The Utrecht audience still had a little piece of Utrecht tradition to teach him, though: raising their hands to form a U while shouting “UUUUU!” He quickly picked it up and kept bringing it back throughout the show.
His interaction with the audience was only part of what made the performance so enjoyable. His voice sounded great throughout the set, and the way he played both his violin and guitar showed just how skilled he is as a musician. I have a lot of respect for anyone who can keep an entire room captivated and entertained on their own. With his energy and stage presence, it was easy to forget that there was no band behind him at all.
Among all the upbeat moments, “Theme From Jerome (Forgotten Words)” offered a quieter and more reflective moment. The song appears on Omoiyari, an album inspired by Kishi Bashi’s exploration of the experiences of Japanese Americans who were forcibly incarcerated in camps in the United States during World War II. He visited former camp sites and used the stories he encountered there as inspiration for songs such as “Theme From Jerome”, imagining the lives and experiences of the people who were there.
The room became remarkably quiet, and everyone seemed completely absorbed in the performance. After all the energy and humor earlier in the show, it was a powerful reminder of how much Kishi Bashi can do with nothing more than his voice and violin.
The set continued with a mix of Kishi Bashi’s own songs and covers. He performed Talking Heads’ “This Must Be the Place” and Dolly Parton’s “Early Morning Breeze”, alongside songs such as “Colorful State” and “Carry On Phenomenon”. “Honeybody” got a disco-infused treatment towards the end of the set, prompting the audience to jump and dance along. The regular set ended with “Philosophize In It! Chemicalize With It!”, but the evening was far from over.
After “It All Began With a Burst” as an encore, Kishi Bashi once again left the stage, this time heading straight into the audience. Standing on a small step, he performed “Summer of ’42” acoustically, before staying among the crowd for “Manchester”. Ending the show surrounded by the audience felt like a fitting conclusion to an evening in which the connection between Kishi Bashi and the room had been just as important as the music itself.
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Setlist
M’Lover
Hey Big Star
Can’t Let Go, Juno
Ode To My Next Life
Who’d You Kill
I Am the Antichrist to You
Why Don’t You Answer Me
This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) (Talking Heads cover)
Colorful State
Theme from Jerome (Forgotten Words)
Early Moring Breeze (Dolly Parton cover)
Carry On Phenomenon
Honeybody
Philosophize In It! Chemicalize In It!
It All Began With A Burst
Summer of ‘42
Manchester
Show date 7.9.2026
