Kings Of Leon - July 19, 2005 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA
Posted by John Malady on 07.22.2005
Did they show what all the hype is about? I believe they did.
Four people driving towards the anticipation of sweet blissful rock n’ roll knowing that they are ready but still unprepared for what was to come. This is the scene on the evening of July 19th 2005 as all four of us got onto the Bay Bridge coming from Oakland and driving towards San Francisco to the legendary Fillmore to see The King’s of Leon on the second night of their three day stint of sold out shows. Two couples ready to rock and ready to be taken over by the southern tinged American AC/DC styled cock rock that is The King’s of Leon.
Upon arriving at the venue Secret Machines were a few songs into their set. I had not previously heard them before and found them to be spaced out acid rock with a lot of space in between the sounds and a heavy beat that drove the whole thing underneath. They were enhanced by a stellar light show that added to their floaty vibe but unfortunately without it they would have been quite a boring experience.
After the Secret Machines set my buddy and I popped outside for a smoke while our ladies did their thing. I found that outside in the designated smoking area one of the Fillmore’s Staff kept making everyone stand so there was a clear path through everyone and claimed it was in case someone with a wheelchair came along which is understandable but when the fuck did people need some staff employee at a music venue to tell them to clear a path for someone in a wheelchair. I would still like to believe that people are still kind and decent enough that this would just happen naturally. Fucking condescending motherfucker! After this interesting display two girls approached us and asked if they could bum a few smokes from us so we went ahead and set them up with a few fags to puff on. I then told them I would like to see the designated lane between everyone used for some line dancing and I would start it out with the robot. I started to bust into some robot but then got stuck and looked at them repeating I,I,I,I…One of them looked at me like I was a fucking lunatic(which I actually am) but I told them I needed some oil and someone should dance over out of nowhere and grease the joints which then made me go into full on robot mode I,I,I,I LIKE TO DO THE ROBOT. They finally got the joke and thought it was decently funny and actually did a few robot moves themselves. Nice to know people can still share a little humor between themselves instead of being sticks in the mud. Fucking bitches. HA, HA, HA! A stomp on the ground to extinguish my cancer stick and we cruised back into the venue for our ladies and some rock n’ fucking roll!
My buddy and I didn’t see our women anywhere so we found a good spot to check the show out at and then out of nowhere my baby came up behind me and grabbed me. She then gave me a nice warm kiss (always good for the soul) and within minutes KOL took the stage to show us what rock n’roll live is all about.
At this point I need to elaborate on something that has come up not only with KOL but other bands through the years when it comes to live performance. The San Francisco newspaper’s review the following day elaborated on the fact that KOL do not move around much when they are playing which is such a trivial piece of fucking nonsense when reviewing a concert. I am not reviewing this show now but I am elaborating on the experience as a whole so you can decide if it sounds like something you wouldn’t mind checking out or not and then it’s up to you to have your own experience. When I read this crap about not moving around or engaging the audience it made me think of another band that I wound up seeing 7 times before they broke up, Soungarden. Soundgarden were always given the same shit by critics for not moving around much when they played live. Does anyone listen and watch people play their instruments anymore or do people always need to be “entertained”? Lets face it, besides some extremely underground and extremely heavy bands like Slipknot etc., the modern rock scene has no Freddie Mercury’s that can drive a band and an audience at the same time because magic like that only comes to Earth once in a blue moon and few and far between. When I see a rock show that gets me going it is because of the sound and intensity of the musicians and what they are playing. I don’t want KOL to dance around just to dance around for our entertainment and turn what they do into a dishonest expression. When I see live music I like it to hit me and I like to close my eyes and let the sound wash over and inside of me. I like to be surrounded by what is coming from the stage in my ears not my eyes. KOL sounded 20 times better than their records live because they believe in what they play and they make sure they don’t cheat the fans by playing badly live. A live band should always be better than the record because it is a moment shared by everyone there and when the energy exchange between band and audience is flowing full throttle it can transcend any moment caught on a record that was combed over and over to polish any imperfections. This is all just my opinion but good musicians and/or bands do not have to be great entertainers. There is a place for both so to all the complainers that can’t appreciate the depth and raw crisp delivery of rock n’roll and want some stupid fucking routine I say go check out Janet Jackson because you wouldn’t know a good rock show if it came up and bit you on your ass. I digress. BA-DUM-BUM…Cymbal Crash (Psssh)!!!
Back to KOL live. As soon as the lights went down, the chants and hands went up and permeated the air throughout the night while this band delivered both of their albums minus 2 or 3 songs. Did they show what all the hype is about? I believe they did. I hadn’t been that compelled by a straight up rock band live in quite some time. I never stopped moving, gyrating, stomping, and just plain getting off through the whole set. When rock comes from the brain and crotch it tends to have this effect on people because I wasn’t the only one. Of course it never hurts to have a girlfriend who can make anything and everything sexy with you. Song after song, sweat pouring out of every pore in my body, beautiful hips pressing up, around, and against me, tongues finding each other in short passionate moments of animal attraction. This is what a rock show should be about man! Your brain and libido joining in a sensual ritualistic out of body experience that takes you away for 1.5-2 hours. A place where nothing else matters but the songs you came to hear and feel. When it comes down to it every experience is yours to make what you will of it and when you allow yourself to feel rather than think you set yourself up to do what not enough people can, live in the moment, all the while knowing that its special and yours to carry inside yourself until you leave this life. KOL know Molly’s chamber is gonna change your mind so just A-ha and Sha –ake for the Taper JEAN Girl with the motel face.
The 411: If you dig KOL you owe it to yourself to check them out live. Don’t worry about a musician “entertaining” you like some fucking circus show, just show up ready to hear the music you came to hear. KOL won’t let you down but will get you up, hard, and ready to fucking rock n’roll until you drop. Amen to the brothers for actually being a genuine American rock band with great songs to play for you and not some fucking image to sell you. I can still taste my girl’s sweat mixing with mine and making that rock n’roll stew that inspires one to pick up a guitar, bass, or drums and express themselves. I kneel before the throne and pledge myself to The King’s of Leon and I suggest you take a trip to their kingdom before passing judgment. All hail the King’s!
