Kansas City Music Blog

It was a cold, misty night in Kansas City. A mass of people descended on the glowing orb of the Sprint Center to see a Rock Band with a capital "R" play spacious rock epics inside said arena. The Rock Band in question gave a high-quality, by-the-book performance with no surprises that surely satisfied fans but might not have won over many new ones.

Scott Spychalski

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Now a short background: Kings of Leon is made up of three evangelical preacher's sons and their cousin. They go by their middle names, though why is unclear. They were named Best International Band at this year's Brit Awards, and also took home the Best International Album. Chumbawamba once made a political statement at the Brit Awards by dumping a bucket of ice water on the Labour Party cabinet minister, though why is unclear.

Yes, last night Kings of Leon both looked and played the part of an arena rock band. (Ivan) Nathan Followill, sporting a tank top and a hair-metal haircut, provided relentless percussion. (Michael) Jared Followill, donning a hairdo that would make Pete Wentz jealous, completed the strong rhythm section with smooth, melodic bass lines. Thankfully, I was close enough to see the faces of intense concentration that cousin (Cameron) Matthew Followill made during his reverb-laced guitar solos.

Scott Spychalski

Apparently, VIPs can smoke in Sprint Center.

Singer (Anthony) Caleb Followill was here to party, he claimed, to get drunk. This brought cheers from the crowd but I was not convinced, as he only sipped from the red cups that the roadies brought onstage. Anyone really looking to party would have to face down the Sprint Center event staff, who stood 12-strong between the crowd and the stage like the Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace. I saw the humorless sentinels carry away one unfortunate crowd-surfer, and push through the crowd to try to nab another. Anyone looking to party in a seat they didn't have tickets for was similarly shown to the door.

The songs from Kings of Leon's most recent album, Only By The Night, were by far the best. They sounded as if they'd been written specifically for this occasion, to be played in a cavernous arena to fog machines and epilepsy-inducing light shows, with thousands of people singing along. The more epic the song, the more I liked it. The chorus of "Sex On Fire" was a perfect sing-a-long moment, though after "YOUR SEX IS ON FIRE!" I'm not sure anyone knew the words.

Scott Spychalski

Songs like "The Bucket" from Aha Shake Heartbreak also had the right balance of energy and precision. There was a lull in the middle of the set when C. Followill took to screaming into microphone with some distortion on it and the songs lost any semblance of tune. The Kings redeemed themselves, though, and I'll be damned if I didn't get goosebumps when the music kicked in and the crowd sang along to "Use Somebody."

Those looking for insight into the songs or a personal connection with the band would be sorely disappointed. C. Followill was generous, however, and thanked the crowd repeatedly for their enthusiasm and support.

Scott Spychalski

But sometimes you see a band and it all clicks: you understand their music in a way that you couldn't through the recordings, and the songs take on a whole new life. This ability to establish a personal connection with the audience is the difference between bands like the Stones or Bruce Springsteen (who have sustained careers that span decades and can still pack stadiums with fans) and bands that go from filling arenas to playing free outdoor shows.

I walked away from the Sprint Center very worried about reviewing this show, as there was absolutely nothing to distinguish the concert from say, listening to the band on the radio: no connection to the crowd, nothing even remotely interesting happening on stage. Kings of Leon has mass appeal and enormous success that very few young rock bands have experienced. Which type of band they will be in five or ten years remains to be seen.

Set List
Crawl
Be Somebody
Taper Jean Girl
Molly's Chambers
Fans
Revelry
I Want You
My Party
Charmer
Four Kicks
The Bucket
Sex on Fire
Notion
Manhattan
On Call
Cold Desert
Slow Night, So Long

Encore
Knocked Up
Use Somebody
Black Thumbnail

Scott Spychalski

White Lies

The British band White Lies opened up with some nondescript 80s-influenced dance rock that made me wish I was around when bands like Joy Division and the Jesus and Mary Chain were making brilliant new music instead of the watered-down versions of them we have today.