The Kooks are a band I only just got into last year, namely their 2006 debut album 'Inside In/ Inside Out', which I bought on a $10 whim, and became quite acquainted with. They're a band I got very late on the bandwagon of, being UK indie pop darlings since their breakthrough. I get the feeling they are very loved among the Britons, if only from personal experience, as when I put "Naive" on at a friend's party largely attended by members of the UK, it resulted in a rather epic singalong. Did I mention how hip with it I am...Anyway the Kooks were performing at the Tivoli in support of September 2011's album 'Junk of the Heart'. You may have already heard the incredibly adworthy (it may already be in an advertisement?) title song "Junk of the Heart (Happy)". It's their biggest single off it so far, and to be honest the only song I really could remember off the new album, having bought it a week before this performance. I'm the hippest.
Being a stone's throw away from the Tivoli I lose a bit of motivation for getting there early, so I missed support band Toucan, and hence got a pretty average spot in the middle of the crowd. Still, my photos weren't as bad as they have been in past reviews. The curly haired gang appeared onstage not long after we got there and launched into a packed set, full of their perfectly timed 3 minute pop songs, guaranteeing that much of their catalogue would be covered. They started with a new album track, "Is it Me", and followed without much hurrah with "Always Where I Need to Be" from Konk, during which the crowd were pleasantly receptive. While I wasn't too familiar with the first track it was a great introduction to the Kook's very easy to enjoy style, and their prowess with their instruments. It was with the next selection "Sofa Song", that the crowd were really pleased, and they presented it with all the energy and angst as on record. They were extremely tight and entertaining, and frontman Luke Pritchard carried the show on his shoulders, exploding on the stage with arms and legs flailing, serenading the audience with each heartfelt song.
Even while jumping up and down in peak song moments, you could still hear Luke's voice articulating the lyrics clear as day. Which was quite interesting, as during the moments between songs, I couldn't understand a thing he said. Thanks to a distinct slur and mumble of a talking voice, even when announcing the songs, I didn't expect what I heard, it was so difficult to discern. This was the only issue regarding the sound, as The Tivoli wins again for clear and excellent audio projection. THANKS TIV, ILU.
Song highlights continued with the summerhappy "She Moves in Her Own Way", the seductive "Runaway", with an uncharacteristically funky bassline, and the rock explosion "If Only", a welcome favourite of mine. Then Luke got down to the bizness by taking up a solo spot on our left of the stage with his acoustic guitar, playing us the simplistic opener of their debut "Seaside", and "Tick of Time", then leading the rest of the band into "See the Sun".
It was at this point, where a few more from 'Junk of the Heart' were presented, that their songs kind of blended into each other, and I got a little bit bored. The thing with a band like the Kooks is that, while they are catchy, fun, and pleasing to the ears in their guitar and drum combinations, they don't really stray from their very obvious style. As a result, it felt a little long and repetitive and I couldn't help wondering when it would be encore time. After a few more from 'Konk', ending on the sexual invitation of 'Do You Wanna', they left the stage shortly for said anticipated encore. It's interesting, I don't see the band much as 'hot young things' brimming with sex appeal but more 'young fun things'; perhaps it's their look or Luke's voice, but their sexual invitations don't really work for me? (Whereas Jarvis Cocker... Yeah I can't explain it really).
Anyway their encore was very predictable, finishing up on non-album track "The Saboteur", their radio friendly "Junk of the Heart (Happy)", and then said singalong "Naive", rather an excellent way to end things really.
It was all very good, and as gig-buddy put it, a pure full bodied rockshow, but as far as memorable gigs go, this wouldn't be one of them. I don't think it had anything much to do with their talent as musicians or showmanship, you couldn't fault them on that, but really just the fact that their music is as samey as samey gets. And, as a result, I really haven't listened to their music since. Granted, that is probably half due to the dying down of my Watch the Throne phase, and focus on the plethora of gigs that are coming up for me in the next two weeks (Fleet Foxes, Arctic Monkeys, tune-yards, the Damned, and Asa, not to mention the festivals!).
So I give the show 7.5 but minus a point for being a little uninventive as a band. Not that I could do any better. 6.5 David Bowie references out of 10.
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