LIVE REVIEW: KAWALA @ New Century Hall, Manchester

As we all know live music is one of, if not THE, main reason we love music so much, a live show can be an unforgettable experience, bringing a group of strangers together through music. Recently, beloved Indie band KAWALA have been gigging for their farewell tour and their show at New Century Hall in Manchester was undoubtedly one of these unforgettable experiences.

Warming up the crowd with their brilliantly upbeat energy, Teenage Dads set the bar for the evening, surely creating fans out of countless previously unaware audience members before releasing the stage to the main event in KAWALA.

KAWALA took to the stage with apparently clear intentions, instantly heading into moving territory with their passionate performance. Riding on the high already conjured by Teenage Dads, KAWALA further amped up the energy in the room through energetic and upbeat music, creating a party atmosphere that only a farewell tour could muster – acting as a glorious celebration of their time as a band rather than revelling in the sadness of such a situation.

Only later into the set did the band acknowledge the bitter-sweet event, poking fun at the whole atmosphere by acknowledging the “positive booing” from the crowd. The Manchester crowd was determined to make their love for KAWALA known to them as they put in an almost performance-like showing themselves, proving to be one of the best crowds we’ve seen in a while as they gave a ground-shaking demand for an encore shortly after the band shared in an intimate moment as they ventured into the crowd to play.

This night really was a beautifully poignant event, showcasing exactly why KAWALA are so loved while giving both the band and fans a memory to hopefully hold onto through the melancholy end of such a staple in this scene. We have no doubt that everyone involved will remember that gig for years to come, an emotional night that acts as a testament to the joy of music and the power that it holds. Even as they come to an end as a band, Kawala are showing everyone what live music is supposed to be about and giving everyone a night to remember for the rest of their lives.