all word by Hannah Byam
photos by Dakota Fine and Joel Didriksen

…

I have spent the majority of the last several years seeing shows in bars and small venues, drinking through some bad shows, lots of good shows, and a few choice great ones.  There’s a reason I’ve avoided seated venues – you lose the sense of connection with the band as if he or she is singing right to you, the crush of the audience when a favorite riff is cranked, the sticky floors and poor lighting adding to the ambiance. Sadly for us, and luckily for them, some of our favorite acts eventually outgrow our usual stomping grounds and have to trade up; in DC, this means venues like DAR Constitution Hall with their suited ushers, singular (and slow moving) beer line, and upholstered seating.

It’s an odd setting to see anyone in, let alone a band that has spent their last several years on tour learning from the some of the best at large-scale rock (U2, Bob Dylan, Pearl Jam).  The space resembles one of those television mega-churches, complete with stadium seating, cavernous ceiling, and columns, arches, and gilded eagles to top it off. You half expected Joel Osteen or the like to come out on stage to introduce the brothers and cousin Followill; the Kings of Leon gave us the next best thing, taking the stage to a soaring choir track.  Caleb Followill then tried his hardest to make the next 100 minutes into a religious rock ‘n roll experience – a fitting mission for a preacher’s son – but one thwarted by a crowd held just a bit too far away to truly get down.

There were clear highlights to the set: from the starting 1-2 punch of “Closer” and “Crawl” from the most recent album Only by the Night; the sing-along goodness of “Taper Jean Girl,” “Sex on Fire,” and “Use Somebody;” the raucousness of “Fans;” and the set-ending jam on “Slow Night, So Long.”  They put forth something of a retrospective: 22 songs spanning all four of their very solid albums (funny to think about given their rep as a band still trying to gain a strong foothold in the U.S.) that displayed variety, strong songwriting, and a knack for connecting with the cheap(er) seats in the back.  If there was any doubt that the Followills carry the musical chops and stage presence to really cement a following, the sold-out crowd tonight would tell you that even in the slower moments the Tennessee boys’ charisma and sincerity makes up for any tendency toward rock clichés (you can’t hit a joint onstage in the Daughters of the American Revolution concert hall, can you?!).

A four song encore, including “Knocked Up,” “Manhattan,” and “Charmer,” gave the Kings the opportunity to really overcome the staging drawbacks of DAR.  Caleb’s voice has matured since the first record and sounds ridiculously good backed by Jared on bass, Matthew on lead guitar, and Nathan on drums.  There’s a lot to be said for wanting quality music to receive the recognition and success it’s due, and the Kings of Leon are definitely seeing the benefits of years of touring.  I just wish I could still see them in a smoky bar, inches from the stage, to hold onto that raw rock feeling before the giant light rigs, screaming girls, and Live Nation handlers arrive.

Giving credit where credit is due, We Are Scientists sure as hell tried hard to connect with an audience stubbornly rooted in their seats (BYT missed the other opener, The Whigs).  Having seen the Scientists play the Black Cat several years ago, I know how much of a hip-swaying good show they put on.  They sound a little like the soundtrack to your favorite John Hughes movie – familiar, jaunty, a healthy dose of synth – with just a little more attitude thrown in.  “Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt” always sticks in my head, and both their new and old material is worth checking out.  While the early crowd at DAR may not have wanted to join the dance party, We Are Scientists gave the unwilling a great set regardless.

…

Kings of Leon Set List
1. Closer
2. Crawl
3. My Party
4. Razz
5. Molly’s Chambers
6. Taper Jean Girl
7. King Of The Rodeo
8. Sex On Fire
9. Fans
10. Revelry
11. Milk
12. Four Kicks
13. The Bucket
14. McFearless
15. Use Somebody
16.  On Call
17. Cold Desert
18.  Slow Night, So Long
Encore:
19. Knocked Up
20. Manhattan
21. Charmer
22. Black Thumbnail ??

…

Joel Didriksen got some shots of KOL earlier in the day when they recorded an episode of Pancake Mountain with the kiddies. Awwww. -ed

 Send to a Friend