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The 100 Club has a capacity of 300 and is certainly not the kind of venue where you would expect to see one of Tennessee’s finest.
With three critically acclaimed albums under their belt, The Kings Of Leon are more accustomed to selling out New York’s Madison Square Gardens and headlining festivals.
For brothers Caleb, Jared and Nathan Followill and cousin Matthew Followill, it all started on a high in 2003 when they burst onto the scene with their debut Lp ‘Youth And Young Manhood’ and stamped it with their very personal blend of garage/ indie/ southern rock.
Contrary to a lot of other bands they seemed to have effortlessly maintained their poll position with second album ‘Aha Shake Heartbreak’ released in 2004/ 05.
So what are a talented quartet like that doing in a place like this?
I hear you ask!
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Tonight is actually a treat offered to a chosen few by London radio XFM 104.9. The small crowd gracefully bracing the suffocating heat of the premises are listeners/ competition winners, aware of the privilege of never being more that a few feet away from one of the Kings.
It’s also an opportunity to discover ‘recently put on the shelves’ third album ‘Because Of The Times’.
As soon as they’re on stage and strapped to their instruments they open with ‘Black Thumbnail’ from the latest release.
Delightfully for both long standing fans and newer recruits, over the course of the evening and eighteen tracks, we are taken back and forth between 2003 and the present day with ‘Taper Jean Girl’, ‘Soft’, ‘Milk’, ‘Spiral’, ‘Trani’ and a selection from this year’s crop, ‘My Party’, ‘Fans’, ‘Mcfearless’...
To counteract the fact that a lot of songs played tonight are still fairly unknown to the audience, the KoL air all the singles, ‘King Of The Rodeo’, personal favourite ‘Molly’s Chambers’, ‘The Bucket’, ‘4 Kicks’, ‘California Waiting’ and current single ‘On Call’ which predictably gets the biggest reaction from the mesmerised fans.
There was a time when the boys where far too busy to indulge in a spot of shaving but that’s long gone and tonight they look incredibly handsome and baby faced up close.
Singer Caleb’s distinctively unmistakable voice resonates around the small venue whilst the silver crucifix around his neck shines back at us.
Matthew and Jared are totally engrossed in their, respectively, guitar and bass playing and Nathan seems to be casually hitting his drums, chewing gum, blowing bubbles...who said men couldn’t multi task?
The playing is at times frenzied but never rushed.
After ‘Trani’ it’s time for a short break and given the bijou venue’s lack of backstage area, the Followills take refuge in the toilets!
Almost a Spinal Tap moment!
They are back with ‘Arizona’ and ‘Charmer’ both lifted from ‘Because Of The Times’ and finally 2004 ‘Slow Night, So Long’.
As they exit the stage for a last time somewhat leaving us wanting more I can’t help but acknowledge how special tonight was and what a lucky girl I am.
The Kings Of Leon will no doubt be back in Europe soon, hitting the summer festivals and if you can, be there!
Words: Florence ACHERY
www.kingsofleon.com
www.myspace.com/kingsofleon
www.xfm.co.uk
www.darranarmstrong.com
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