Nottingham 2/12

[sparkler]

One of the things I love about KOL is that when they're on stage they spend the time playing music instead of wasting time with meaningless chatter to the audience, or silly gimmicks, so you get more music for your money.
As much as I enjoy, for example, Foo Fighters or Green Day concerts, there is an awful lot of time between songs when they're doing other things and not getting on with playing music.
I suppose some people go for the whole package, music and between-song entertainment, but I prefer more music.

[fromhelltomaine]

OH.
MY .
GOD.

that was the first ever concert i've been to, it was just INCREDIBLE.
like, when they started and the classical music started i was like breathless, and then Closer started, i honestly felt like i was going to cry i was so overwhelmed! And I was there, and THEY were there, i mean, RIGHT THERE. I couldn't seem to wrap my head around the fact that it was really them, i've been a huge fan for years!

needless to say they played incredibly, so tight, and the songs sounded so much more intense live. i went with a friend and on the way there we were talking about all the songs we wanted them to play, and they played every single one! black thumbnail, knocked up, manhattan, cold desert.. i loved how jared started dancing and twirling around, he seemed like he was just so into the music, and how at the start of crawl caleb was jumping around ready for the drums to pound. matthew shredded through his guitar like no other and added really nice little changes to the solos, they were so intricate (i play guitar myself, it was a trip to see how him and caleb play)! and nathan, well his hands were just a blur the whole way through, i mean mcfearless was unbelievable!

the only downer i think was all the crowdsurfers who kept getting pulled out by security. it must be so hard to play when there's five guys being yanked out of the crowd. and some were topless, one didn't even have any trousers on! but the rest of the crowd were amazing, screaming to every song, singing to use somebody and the uh-woah to knocked up was immense, it was like this unifying moment between the crowd and the band, it was deafening!

to everyone who i going to see them on this leg of the tour you guys are in for a real treat, they played for so long but there wasn't a single second when they were'nt on top form.


i think it's pretty safe to say it was like the greatest night of my life.



: )



p.s. did anyone else think that that screaming lady on the screens in charmer was frickin' awesome?! if anyone has a picture of it please post!!

[sparkler]

Dec 3, 2008 10:14:04 GMT fromhelltomaine said:

the only downer i think was all the crowdsurfers who kept getting pulled out by security. it must be so hard to play when there's five guys being yanked out of the crowd. and some were topless, one didn't even have any trousers on!
did anyone else think that that screaming lady on the screens in charmer was frickin' awesome?!

I saw the trouserless lad get pulled out lol!
Wonder if he got them back or if he had to go home like that?
I forgot about the screaming lady - I thought that was weird!

[kol29]

Dec 3, 2008 10:09:52 GMT sparkler said:

One of the things I love about KOL is that when they're on stage they spend the time playing music instead of wasting time with meaningless chatter to the audience, or silly gimmicks, so you get more music for your money.

Same and I'm gettin a tad sick of reading reviews of their gigs where the person writing it deems it a bad show cos Caleb didn't stop nd hav a 20 minute chat with the crowd bt instead continued playing more amazing songs flawlessly!!
They are amazing musicians nd if all I get is a "hello, we're Kings Of Leon, God Bless" on Dec 19th along with what I no is going to be an absolutely perfect night if the last 2 gigs r anything to go by, I'll be happy!

[lairyfights]

fromhelltomaine, thanks for posting that really nice review! I'm so very very jealous.

[Bornagirl76]

Sounds fantastic! Wow, how are they going to keep this momentum up until Xmas?? They're gonna be wrecked! Sparkler, I agree it's really noticeable how when KOL are on stage there isn't a moment wasted that could be given over to another song. They just pack 'em in and keep the momentum going, it's awesome. Can't wait for my next shows

[andyuk]

anyone have the full setlist in order?

[whiskers]

I saw a kol gig. caleb is god. arenas are huge. they didn't do half bad getting it fucking shaking though! i couldn't have been any further away, literally the other end of the arena. caleb kicked jareds arse! i thought that was funny. from what i could tell they all seemed to be enjoying it.

closer came on with not much fuss. that was quite a brave choice to open with. i told my brother it would be alright to have a fag cause they wouldn't be on yet and then they were and shit... sorrrryyyy :s so i was rather preoccupied worried about him missing it.

i caught glimpses of matts pretty guitar, nathans white tshirt and these like flesh coloured blurry lines lol. could not even make out jared as he seemed to be eaten by his amp stack things. quite cute. fcking huge!

i'm trying to remember the things caleb said, uhhhhhh oh yeah he thanked us all for buying the tickets. they never thought they'd get this popular to be playing arenas. which was so cute and i almost cried. some of those songs like arizona, cold desert, trani (trani is back!!!) i couldn't even dance too, the just power of the song was just too immense.

i must have been sat in the boring section not helped by the fact that my brother kept telling me to sit down cause i was blocking the view of the guy behind (am i alone here? but fuck him!! if he wants to sit down then let him, if he wants to see when i stand then he'll just have to get off his arse. as if you sit at a fucking kol gig anyway. ponce!) so i ran to the stairwell and i got a way with it for a little while, i think it was crawl they were playing and then some security bloke comes over and gives me some sad news about returning to my seat. so suffice to say i was like thank the sweet jesus cause nobody gave a fuck after sex on fire. the evening had officially begun. wow!

i tried not to get too weepy and proud but it was an awesome sight watching everyone dig the kings. just amazing. and the encore was so wicked. charmer and black thumbnail!! i'm doing such a goofy grin as i write this.and awwwww slow night so long. oh they played california waiting, my brother said it was because they knew he was gna be there hehee twat hehee another just fantastic song they get them to sound so fresh and exhilerating which is really a testament to them cause how long they been playing that? matt was really cool. his playin in one song was just amazing.

i can't remember all the specific songs when stuff happened cause the whole gig went by iin one happy haze. i was dancing the whole time and clapping and the lighter moments awwwwwwwwww well done kingys x x x

the annoying thing i must say about a kol gig is that as soon as it's over you want it all over again. no wonder i used to stalk them hahaa the gig dates i mean not the particular persons. it's two hours but you feel like you don't get a chance to catch yr breath cause you don't wanna miss anything. they've really come a long way and they deserve this success!

did anyone buy any merch? i got a t-shirt, the green album cover. i slept in it last night it's really good to watch them play again. i'll shut up now x

[Bornagirl76]

Dec 3, 2008 12:41:21 GMT @whiskers said:

caleb kicked jareds arse! i thought that was funny.

Ha ha, what??

So they opened with Closer instead of Crawl - nice to know they're mixing it up a little even if the songs don't change.

[lardydar]

Dec 3, 2008 9:30:28 GMT tjc said:

It was made even better that Caleb was on fine form and seemed to giving everything he had in every single song. The same can’t be said about Jared who seemed like he didn’t want to be there and couldn’t get off stage fast enough.

He did have a spat with Caleb before they left for the encore, just walking off on his own when they rest of the band waved.

Hmmmm Jared was a bit weird, seemed to be having a close personal relationship with his speaker stack, kept turning his back to us and standing really close to them... disappointing lack of his crazy bassface, especially in Trani (remembering the Bonnaroo vid where he bops so hard it looks like his head might fall off)...

Was quite chuffed that the bunch around us were well into it, the only poopers were a bloke and his teenage son behind us, sat down throughout the whole thing and left halfway through Charmer... and judging by the noise levels and the mess of the pit (ace to see), I don't think there were too many (for want of a better term) 'fake' fans about.

[fromhelltomaine]

"caleb kicked jareds arse! i thought that was funny."
i agree with bornagirl76, what?!


i have a quick question, i'm so interested in the king's lyrics, and the meanings behind them, and last night it was really weird, i remember during a song caleb doing the cross on his chest (where you touch the points) and pointing up to the sky while singing, and i thought to myself "ahhh THAT's what that lyrics means, genius! i'll have to reread it when i get home!"


now i can't remember the song
hah help from anyone who saw that?

[fromhelltomaine]

Dec 3, 2008 13:59:07 GMT @lardydar said:

Was quite chuffed that the bunch around us were well into it, the only poopers were a bloke and his teenage son behind us, sat down throughout the whole thing and left halfway through Charmer...

lardydar! were you by any chance sitting in block 16 row r, in seat numbers around 1-5?!

[tjc]

I was in block 16 row Q, seats 1&2 next to the stairs

[sparkler]

Whiskers - my husband bought a hat - he didn't sleep in it though!

[kol29]

Dec 3, 2008 14:04:33 GMT fromhelltomaine said:

i have a quick question, i'm so interested in the king's lyrics, and the meanings behind them, and last night it was really weird, i remember during a song caleb doing the cross on his chest (where you touch the points) and pointing up to the sky while singing, and i thought to myself "ahhh THAT's what that lyrics means, genius! i'll have to reread it when i get home!"


now i can't remember the song
hah help from anyone who saw that?

Wsan't at the gig myself but I've seen him do it during Charmer when he sings the "married to a preacher" line.

[fromhelltomaine]

tjc i was two rows behind you, in seat 3 !
you probably didn't see me, i was the girl with the homemade kol shirt and the big hair!
+ i was sitting next to the man and his son, they were silent throughout the whole thing, but not in a "i'm taking everything in and i'm speechless way", more in a "ughhhh i'm bored" kinda way. i dunno, i for one couldn't restrain myself

p.s. thanks kol29 : )

[billybob]

Dec 3, 2008 9:30:28 GMT tjc said:

Heading down to the Nottm Arena, I had mixed feelings. Obviously excitement for the gig, I hadn’t seen them for almost a year, but apprehension, as I knew that the place would be filled with Radio 1 listening fans, who only knew Sex on Fire and Use Somebody.

I caught the last bit of the support, they hurt my ears and was glad when they finished their set.

A bit of setting up by the roadies and the 5 minute sign was waved. Lights out, Mozart’s Requiem

Closer was then blasted out, which was amazing to hear live, one of my favourites from Only by the Night.
The boys blasted through all four records, including King of the Rodeo, Joes Head, Trani, Charmer, Mcfearless, Four Kicks, Revelry, Milk, Pistol.
It was quite special to hear so many songs that I hold close to my heart.

Knocked up always gets me when they come back on for the encore, Nathans drum intro is amazing with the disco ball lights behind.


Playing for 2 hours was quite special and I don’t think I’ll see that again.

It was made even better that Caleb was on fine form and seemed to giving everything he had in every single song. The same can’t be said about Jared who seemed like he didn’t want to be there and couldn’t get off stage fast enough.

He did have a spat with Caleb before they left for the encore, just walking off on his own when they rest of the band waved.


So all in all, I suppose I have to accept that with increased popularity and success, they are going to pick up fake fans along the way.

I’m happy I have been loving them from 2003 when all my friends poked fun at me for liking ‘4 incomprehensible hillbillies with beards’ These same people are now paying £100+ plus for tickets off ebay.

I little bit of me died when you see and hear things from the bandwagon jumpers. Middle aged men wearing Skinny Jeans and checkered shirts, singing their hearts out to sex on Fire, and then trying to sing along to the other songs they’d obviously never heard.
People shouting, “come on I paid £25 for this shit, play Sex on Fire so I can go to the bar”. With the bands increased popularity, It’s going to be tougher to get tickets now and people like this shouldn’t bother.”

There is no doubt the Kings are absolutely amazing live and I still love them dearly, but the old stuff still destroys the new stuff.

They’re still (just about) my Kings of Leon, despite their new 5 minute fans, but, for this reason, I won’t be in a hurry to see them tour this record, despite how amazing live they are.

T

I was gonna post a bit of a review about last night but tjc has summed it all up perfectly for me.

Smiler & I had decided this was to be our last K.O.L gig (in the UK!) and the lads served up a real treat, last night was just a little bit special, as far as I was concerned they nailed every tune and really do deserve to be sitting at the top of the tree just now that was a near perfect performance, one that will live long in my memory. We have had a great time over the last few years watching this band & have even been lucky enough to have had a beer with them at the odd aftershow. What sets them apart from the rest is simple, what you see is what you get, both on and off stage, no bullshit at all. I hope that this will continue and all the new fans get the same experience.
We will cherish our memorys from the gigs we went to, but now is the time to watch from the sideline as they continue to establish themselves as a truly great rock band.

[lardydar]

Dec 3, 2008 14:06:15 GMT fromhelltomaine said:

Dec 3, 2008 13:59:07 GMT @lardydar said:

Was quite chuffed that the bunch around us were well into it, the only poopers were a bloke and his teenage son behind us, sat down throughout the whole thing and left halfway through Charmer...

lardydar! were you by any chance sitting in block 16 row r, in seat numbers around 1-5?!

Nope, we were in 15 - did you have a grump near you too!?!?

[cambylass]

PLEASE tell me they still play Slow Night So Long!?
Always was a great round off to a KOL gig!
xx

[Dom1826]

Sounds like you guys had a great time. By the end of this tour KOL will be the biggest band on earth.......

Yes i did say that. haha