Photo: WENN
“It’s been a long time coming,” croon Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince on 2003’s ‘Kissy Kissy’ - and how right they are. It’s been five years since the transatlantic cult duo’s last album, now they're finally ready to go once again, marking their return with an intimate show at London's Village Underground.
The journey from 2011’s Blood Pressures to the release of new material hasn’t been an easy one though. Sporadic writing and recording sessions for new record Ash & Ice were punctuated by Hince’s five hand operations after a car-door related injury, which resulted in him losing the use of his middle finger - ouch. The future of The Kills as we knew them was certainly in jeopardy.
Torn tendons aside, Hince has never been one to make it easy for himself - using his hindrances to help form his unconventional axe-playing style. Temperamental vintage amps, questionably tuned guitars and precarious drum machines have always been at the heart of The Kills’ charm and unpredictable live shows. Even tonight, Mosshart casually shrugs-off technical hitches with a simple “sorry, my shit’s broken”. Hince was always going to find a way around his setback.
The duo has however made some changes to the live setup, with the addition of a live drummer and extra musician to their two-person gang - quite a bold move for a band that relies heavily on the chemistry between the two of them. It’s carefully done though – creating a hybrid of live and electronic beats, without taking away that lurking sense of tension put in place by the confines of the drum machine.
That tension is most fraught on opener ‘No Wow’, with its steady, bass-heavy rhythm, which Mosshart prowls across the stage to, looking like she’s being electrocuted with every beat. Hince’s jarring guitar chugs over its slow build, sounding like a train above the venue’s brick arches is getting closer to crashing through by the second. There’s a sigh of relief that the chemistry and interplay between the two has been left intact after their long time apart.
Next up, ‘URA Fever’ gains strong cheers from its phone line introduction alone, before the duo exchange call and response verses. Mosshart flings herself around at every moment as she plays guitar on ‘Heart Is A Beating Drum’. In fact, the only point she doesn’t attempt to use every inch of the stage tonight is for the ballad of ‘Black Balloon’, which benefits from the addition of subtle piano and reverb-drenched vocals.
Tonight is a celebration of new material though, and the band is visibly ecstatic to finally have a fresh crop of tunes in the bag. Lead single ‘Doing It To Death’ seems to have already established itself as a fan-favourite, with it’s trip-hop beat and synth line clashing with an enormous riff, while ‘Heart Of A Dog’ sees Mosshart sing with distortion and grit to her voice than ever before. Encore opener ‘Siberian Nights’ – inspired by Hince’s lone journey on the Tran-Siberian Express - stands out from the Ash & Ice tracks on offer, dominated by heavy bass and live drums.
The Kills have successfully added a new dimension to their sound, without taking away from what made them so unique to begin with. Their cult status has sustained them through fourteen years and they continue to evolve. You’ll struggle to find a band with such stage presence, energy and charisma to their performance. Long live VV and Hotel.
The Kills played:
No Wow
U.R.A. Fever
Heart Is a Beating Drum
Kissy Kissy
Hard Habit to Break
Heart of a Dog
Impossible Tracks
Black Balloon
Doing It to Death
Baby Says
Whirling Eye
Pots and Pans
Monkey 23
Encore:
Siberian Nights
Fried My Little Brains
Sour Cherry
Tape Song
The Kills' upcoming UK tour dates are below. Tickets and information are available here.
Thu September 29th 2016 - MANCHESTER Albert Hall
Fri September 30th 2016 - GLASGOW O2 ABC
Sat October 1st 2016 - LEEDS Beckett University Union
Sun October 2nd 2016 - NOTTINGHAM Rock City
Tue October 4th 2016 - OXFORD O2 Academy
Wed October 5th 2016 - BRISTOL Anson Rooms
Thu October 6th 2016 - BIRMINGHAM O2 Institute
Fri October 7th 2016 - LONDON Roundhouse
