Ever since releasing their newest album “Only By the Night,” The Kings of Leon have grown into one of the most popular rock bands of the year. So when the band came to the Forum on August 22, it was no surprise that the KROQ-sponsored concert was a sold-out event.
What was offered was a no-frills live show, with simplistic but atmospheric lighting and little else besides the band’s raw power and talent, a good compliment to the simple yet deep sound that the band packs into each of their songs.
Without a doubt, the band is as good live as on the record and possibly even better, with the added kick of live energy and spontaneity giving their songs a fuller, more urgent sound. When lead singer Caleb Followill sang at the top of his lungs, or when his lead guitarist cousin Matthew launched into a searing guitar solo, it was impossible for the audience to resist being swept up in the power of the band’s performance.
Even for one unfamiliar with the band’s catalog such as myself, it was easy to get into the music, with the band transitioning from crunching, hard-hitting rock to slow grooving ballads for a dynamic set list.
The band played such well-known hits as “Use Somebody,” “Revelry,” “Notion” and, of course, the number one hit “Sex on Fire,” which had everyone in the Forum singing along at the top of their lungs. With the concert clocking in at around two hours, The Kings were able to dive into more obscure material, though most of the show’s material came from the band’s last two albums.
From the slow burning “Closer” to the shriek-filled “Charmer,” the Baptist-raised hard-living rockers from the Deep South displayed the range their sound has developed over the years.
The Kings of Leon are comprised of several brothers who grew up under a traveling Baptist preacher father, but have since rejected the life their parents wanted for them. It’s evident in the themes of their music, with many songs revolving around loneliness and trying to find a place in the world.
As a student at Biola, lyrics such as “Jesus don’t love me, no one ever carried my load” made me realize how different the band sees the world when compared to the way I do. Not all of The Kings of Leon’s songs deal with such subjects that make me disagree with the way the band approaches life, and even songs with such meanings can still be good songs.
Despite such bleak concepts in their lyrics, each song the band played had the ability to pull the audience into its world, whether he or she agreed with the ideas presented. The Kings of Leon can take a song such as “Sex on Fire,” which only has a few lyrics and a simple rhythm, and turn it into the catchiest, most sing-along worthy song on the radio today.
When The Kings left the stage at the end of the concert, it was obvious from the fervor of the crowd that an encore was necessary and after several anxious minutes, the band returned to thunderous applause. The band didn’t skimp in their encore and played four more powerful songs, most of them less well known.
At the end of the night, The Kings of Leon left the crowd sweaty, half-deaf and blown away by the amazing display of talent we had all just witnessed. I came into the concert a casual fan of several songs, but left eager to dive deeper into a truly talented band.
