On Aug. 11, a supermoon brightened the night sky of cities across the globe. Twenty-four hours later, Hiatus Kaiyote, a band who has described their sound as “multi-dimensional, polyrhythmic gangster shit,” one-upped the celestial body.
On Aug. 12, the Australian quartet gave an illuminating performance during a sold-out show at The Fillmore Silver Spring.
“Hannah, my darling/I will follow you into the sunrise under desert sky,” sang Hiatus Kaiyote lead vocalist and guitarist Naomi Saalfield, AKA Nai Palm. The lyrics are from the group’s 2015 break-out and Grammy-nominated hit, “Nakamarra.” The song, abundant with Australian aboriginal references, is a bit mysterious — like the band’s name.
Watch the official music video for “Nakamarra” by Hiatus Kaiyote on YouTube:
The word hiatus means a pause or gap in a sequence. Whereas kaiyote, as Nai would explain to Life+Times in 2013, is made-up. The term sounds like peyote or coyote but is open to interpretation. That probably doesn’t shed much light on the topic, but I sense that’s how the band likes it.
“Might not get/Might not get any better,” sang Nai Palm during her performance of “Molasses.” The lyrics can come off pessimistic, but upon a deeper listen, the song is far from bleak. As with most things, perspective can be subjective and sometimes illusory. “It could be a compass, rare and so beautiful/It could be the opposing opinion/It could be the point of traction bound to all,” sang Nai.
Watch Hiatus Kaiyote perform “Molasses” live on YouTube:
The Melbourne singer knows a thing or two about perspective in the face of adversity. She lost her mother to breast cancer when she was 11 and was diagnosed with the same dreaded disease in 2018. “I am riddled with anxiety while trying to practice courage and patience daily in the face of the scariest and most emotionally triggering shit I’ve ever had to endure,” Nai wrote on social media about the diagnosis. It has no doubt been a challenging journey, but as of 2019, she is cancer free.
A brush with death can bring a renewed appreciation of life. Nai Palm’s vitality attracted fans like moths to a flame during her performance. Feet moved their way forward, although there was little room to maneuver, just to be closer to the music as the band played “Red Room.” The song was inspired by the color the sunset would cast into Nai Palm’s childhood bedroom. Artificial crimson lights shined on the singer-songwriter as she sang the lyrically sparse yet introspective song.
Hiatus Kaiyote thrives in a live environment. During their performance, the eclectic band would show their chops by crossing many genres on their way to a visceral groove. Nai ripped the chords on her Pro Series Rhoads R3 electric guitar, incidentally named Michael Jackson, on “Swamp Thing” and “Cinnamon Temple.”
Not too long ago, you could argue that Hiatus Kaiyote was an underground band with a cult following of music nerds. Sold-out shows, including what must have been a dream performance at the iconic Sydney Opera House, lays that argument to rest. Hiatus Kaiyote is a global phenomenon still on the ascent as they continue to construct creative and innovative music.
Other highlights from the show include performances of:
- “Get Sun,” Mood Valiant (2021)
- “Rose Water,” Mood Valiant (2021)
- “All the Words We Don’t Say,” Mood Valiant (2021)
- “Chivalry is Not Dead,” Mood Valiant (2021)
- “Building a Ladder,” Choose Your Weapon (2015)
Here are some photos from the Hiatus Kaiyote show at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Aug. 12, 2022. All photos are copyright and courtesy of Will Colbert.
