The Kooks know how to work the crowd; the massive population of girls ear-piercingly screaming throughout their sold out show at the Fine Line on Saturday. The band played an hour-plus show with a healthy mix of old and new, fast and slow.
The foursome showed its range, mixing the harder rock with the slower bluesy songs, and incorporating as many old songs as ones off the new album Konk. To start the encore, lead singer Luke Pritchard opened with a few acoustic songs before the rest of the band returned and ended the show on a high note.
Notably absent from the setlist was "She Moves in Her Own Way," but other than that the Brighton, UK-based-band played the best of their repertoire. From the new album, the band played its first single off Konk "Always Where I Want to Be," which reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart, and other upbeat songs including "Do You Wanna" and "Stormy Weather," and then slower songs like "Mr. Maker" and latest single "Shine On."
It was fun to hear a good mix of older songs. For the successes of Konk, there is a little missing from Inside in Inside Out. Among the older songs mixed in were "I Want You Back," "Eddies Gun," and "Naive."
Most English bands coming to the Twin Cities have a solid but mostly cult audience. Not here. A diverse group, most singing along with every song, welcomed the band. The quality of music was great too, exactly what you want in a live show, like the album but with more edge.
I have an inkling that the Kooks know what they are doing; the next time it will be bigger.
But whatever happened to a concert for the music? A fun show was occasionally dulled by the hoard of teenage girls front and center more interested in documenting that yes, they actually were at the show, than enjoying it. I guess that's the territory that comes with a band like this.
