Playing in 229, a central London venue without too many hipster connotations, it’s a straight up Student Union type building that could be anywhere in the country. The plain surrounds that hold 620 people are contrast by the dazzling spectacle that is Kings of Leon live.
The four brothers and fifth additional member Chris Coleman, who stands in the shadows left of the drummer, are on point driving relentless through material from their stunning back catalogue. A back catalogue that as it's progressed hasn’t so much created gravitation back to their jangly early-00s beginnings, but led to more respect and admiration for the group as they continually carve out catchy and earnest songs.
Opening with ‘The Bucket’ from their superb second album, Aha Shake Heartbreak, the crowd don’t stop moving from this point on. The guitarist Matthew Followhill shows why he’s probably one of the best of this century. Not the flashiest – the speed of solos has more to do with Chuck Berry than Van Halen, but everything he plays through his perfectly adjusted amplifier seems to work impeccably with wherever the song goes. He's like an extension of Caleb Followhill’s emotions, providing in music what the singer can’t explain in words.
Drummer Nathan is every bit the part, smashing his snare with pin-point accuracy and strength that keeps plectrum toting bassist, Jared, driving things along with his constant down strokes. It’s impossible not to feel engulfed by the magic on stage - they’re just so damn tight as a band. Even Jimmy Page, who wouldn't listen to any garbage, is even nodding along with an approving smile in the crowd.
Caleb Followill's vocals sound just as good as they’ve ever done, somehow all these years of touring haven’t frayed him whatsoever. Whether he’s leading an anthemic visceral cut like ‘Trani’ which they haven’t played in years until tonight, or the more melancholic, beautifully bleak intro’s to ‘Knocked Up’ or ‘Milk’ it’s exquisite listening.
The power of his voice is matched by an overall expert attention to details in every level of the sound engineering on stage. This very sound and very set list would have done for a Glastonbury headlines set. Just because it’s a last minute show at a small venues does not mean they've made any compromises.
In fact playing to this small crowd seems to please the band. At one point, Folowihll says: “This is the most fun I’ve had playing a show in years”. Looking around at the crowd who are ecstatic by their every move it’s easy to see why.
It’s not always about how many people are around but the people who are there and how they respond. Kings Of Leon are in such a good mood that as a few of the crowd shout out play ‘Charmer’ they add it to the encore in between new single ‘Around The World’ (a total banger) and the nation’s favourite, ‘Sex On Fire’.
The band of brothers can't put a foot wrong tonight and it's a strong indication that every big show they've got coming up is going to be worth its weight in hold. One of the generation's best for sure.
Kings of Leon played:
Bucket
Mary
On Call
Taper
Find Me
Milk
Fans
Reverend
Immortals
Pyro
Over
Radioactive
Supersoaker
Eyes On You
Knocked Up
Waste A Moment
Crawl
Molly's Chambers
Trani
Slow Night
Asound The Word
Charmer
Sex On Fire
_feb.jpg)
