Review: Kings of Leon at Toad's Place

Maybe some of the fame Kings of Leon has accrued in Europe is starting to spill over to the United States.

The Tennessee band of three brothers and their cousin is huge in England, and still anonymous enough in New Haven that the musicians were able to pop out for a cup of coffee without getting mauled by their adoring public before their show Monday at Toad’s Place.

But maybe not for much longer.

The York Street club was packed full of people who sang along for most of the show, which is downright stunning given that Kings of Leon is not a band you’ll hear on the radio in Connecticut. Then again, the lack of airplay means the quartet has to win over fans the old-fashioned way: with intense, engaging live performances.

The group played for nearly 90 minutes at Toad’s, front-loading the show with tunes from its two most recent albums before getting to songs from its 2003 full-length debut, “Youth & Young Manhood.”

Songs from the band’s most recent album, this year’s excellent “Because of the Times,” came fully alive on stage, and they seemed to hum with visceral energy as Kings of Leon roared through the set. The four Followills played together with practiced ease, letting fly overdriven guitar riffs and guttural bass lines on songs with a brawny garage-rock edge and more complex tunes with longer, deeper grooves.

The band opened with the grinding guitar chords of “Black Thumbnail,” and when singer Caleb Followill stepped to the microphone and unleashed his raw, drawling voice, the crowd chimed in.

Clattering rhythm and dirty, buzzing bass propelled “My Party,” and churning guitars set a breakneck pace on “Spiral Staircase.” Barely contained chaos seethed below the surface of “Trani” as Caleb moaned out the verses, and then erupted into a barrage of stinging guitar fills and swirling percussion.

One of the best moments came on “Fans,” as Matthew Followill added gritty electric accents to Caleb’s acoustic strumming on a song that built from a grateful meditation on fame to a full-on rollicking celebration of rock ’n’ roll.

Kings of Leon played for about 65 minutes before returning for a generous four-song encore that started with the pulsing, exhausted 7-minute rocker “Knocked Up” and ended with “Slow Night, So Long.”
Atlanta indie-rock band Manchester Orchestra opened the show.

Set list for Kings of Leon
1. Black Thumbnail
2. Taper Jean Girl
3. King of the Rodeo
4. My Party
5. Soft
6. True Love Way
7. Fans
8. Milk
9. Four Kicks
10. Camero
11. Razz
12. Molly's Chambers
13. The Bucket
14. Arizona
15. On Call
16. Spiral Staircase
17. Trani
Encore
18. Knocked Up
19. Charmer
20. McFearless
21. Slow Night, So Long

Comments

[Zgirl]

Thanks for that review - yours is the first I've read that has captured the excitement of the King's live performance so vividly and brings the memories of the many times I've seen them back to life for me!

[Dave]

Eric,
It was great chatting with you last night. I hope to see you soon.

I thought KOL completely turned Toad's Place upside down. Whenever I leave one of their shows my faith is restored in good 'ol rock 'n' roll these days. They kicked my ass and I loved every second of it.