Khruangbin Closes 'The Universe Smiles Upon You' 10th Anniversary Tour At L.A.'s Fonda Theatre [Photos/Videos]

When Khruangbin ended their sprawling 158-show world tour with a two-night blowout at the Fonda Theatre, it felt less like a finale and more like a full-circle ritual. No projections, glowing windowpanes, or massive festival-sized light show. Just smoke, minimal lighting, Will Van Horn tucked behind his pedal steel and keys, and the three essential silhouettes that launched instrumental psych rock’s modern renaissance: Mark Speer in his inky curtain of hair on guitar, DJ Johnson keeping time like a stone Buddha behind the drum kit, and Laura Lee Ochoa—the queen of cool on bass—wearing a jeweled crown of butterflies atop her signature black wig.

For a band that has spent the last two years headlining Red Rocks, the Hollywood Bowl, Gunnersbury Park, and major festivals from Glastonbury to ACL, this return to the club stage was a rare and deliberate gift. It was a way to celebrate the decade since The Universe Smiles Upon You quietly rewired the brainwaves of the indie world, to end their seemingly never-ending tour not with a roar but with a purr—the kind of intimate, funky exhale only possible in a 1,200-cap room.—and, ultimately, to remind everyone that before they were global ambassadors of the mix of Thai funk, Iranian pop, surf-soul psychedelia, and cowboy-dub mysticism, Khruangbin were just three Houston weirdos chasing a feeling.

Ten years ago, Khruangbin slipped onto the scene with The Universe Smiles Upon You, a record that was equal parts Thai funk cassette, spaghetti-Western score, and lost dub bootleg. It didn’t sound like anything else coming out of Texas, or anywhere else for that matter.

Since then, the trio has become de facto torchbearers of a new wave of instrumental psych rock. Their sound—Vanity Fair once described it as “R&B, surf rock, Middle Eastern melodies, Persian phrasing, ‘90s hip-hop, West African instrumentation, psychedelic effects and rump-shaking disco”—sparked a whole movement. They share so much sonic DNA with other rising acts like Glass Beams, Arc De Soleil, and BALTHVS, among others.

Yet, it wasn’t until this year’s Grammys that Khruangbin were finally nominated for an award—in their case, oddly enough, Best New Artist, lending further support to widely attributed quotes about it taking years to become an overnight success.

Touring behind 2024’s A LA SALA brought their global following into arenas and festivals. But when the band announced an intimate anniversary run (and then surprisingly dropped The Universe Smiles Upon You ii, a reimagined version of their debut), it signaled something special: a homecoming, a reset.

The Fonda shows, which came in at the tail-end of that tour extension, were a pure distillation of Khruangbin’s distinct essence as a band.

The setlist leaned heavily into the TUSUY ii reworks, but this wasn’t just a nostalgia play. These were fresh cuts—trance-ier, dub-bier, more elastic—shaped by ten years of improvising together.

“I Thui Thing Thung” (a tender nod to Dao Bandon) mellowed the room into a dream haze before the band eased into “August 10”, Mark’s guitar shimmering like heat on desert asphalt.

The revamped “Two Fish and an Elephant ii” slithered with deeper groove; “Zouk Dern Kala” returned reimagined as “Dern Kala II”, with Laura’s buttery bass sliding beneath Mark’s reverb-drenched flickers; “Balls and Pins II” unfurled like a slow-motion sunrise, each note floating upward like incense.

The middle stretch turned the show into a vibey odyssey. “María También” ignited the first major crowd eruption as the packed house got down to funky grooves and whispers of “Maria! Maria!”. “Pon Pón” transformed the venue into a tropical after-hours club. Khruangbin invoked a Sade blessing via “Cherish the Day”, dreamy and delicious.

“So We Won’t Forget” bloomed into one of the night’s most emotional moments. Laura Lee’s bassline pulsed like a heartbeat, before Mark paused to vamp, tune, and lovingly shout out the friends who helped Khruangbin become Khruangbin.

Then came the crown jewel of the anniversary celebration: “White Gloves II”, rendered looser and sweeter, like the band was rediscovering its own origin story in real time.

Khruangbin – “White Gloves II” – 11/25/25

[Video: EM JAY VEE]

The main set closed with a disco-ball explosion during “People Everywhere (Still Alive)”, mirrored light dancing across every face in the room. And just when things felt highest, “Mr. White” (a.k.a. “Mr. White House”) hit like a triumphant guitar-funk victory lap.

For the encore, Laura stepped up to the mic—an occasion rare enough to make the room hold its breath. She spoke about playing 158 shows on this tour while raising her daughter, about the ritual of Tuesdays (the day she first hung with DJ Johnson, the day she decided to pick up a bass), and about ending the tour on a Tuesday in L.A.

It was heartfelt and humble, giving fans a sneak peek at the real people behind the mysterious cool of Khruangbin.

Then came “Zionsville II”, warm and earthy, followed by “Bin Bin ii”, during which the entire production team was introduced like a family reunion, to raucous applause.

“This music is not for everyone,” Mark said to the room, “but it is for you.”

Now that the last notes have faded from the Fonda Theatre’s gilded rafters, there are no upcoming dates or festival reveals for Khruangbin.

Not yet, anyway.

Presumably, Laura, Mark, and DJ will go back underground—maybe to write, maybe to rest, maybe to dream up whatever globe-hopping, genre-melting universe comes next.

The world will wait, as it always does.

And if (or when) the itch for Khruangbin vibes rears its head for a scratching while they’re quiet? Thanks to them, the field of acts purveying instrumental, globally-inspired psych rock is as fertile as ever.

The Universe still smiles, Khruangbin still grooves, and when they return, the world will be ready.

Khruangbin – Fonda Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – 11/25/25

[Video: EM JAY VEE]