EDITORS NOTE: This feature was written by guest blogger, Brad Nelson. You can follow him on Twitter @B_tothe_RAD.
The evening began when the Brooklyn-based duo Hunters, and their accompanying drummer and bassist, took the stage. If singer Isabel Almeida’s raucous scream doesn’t put a grin on your face, it’s probably safe to say you’re no fun. They brought a special dose of energy that invigorated the room and matched The Kills vibe.
Having heard very little of the band in advance, I came away impressed. I must admit, their single “Deadbeat” has, on more than one occasion, made a home in my head this past week. The studio version is nearly identical to the live rendition and is every bit as catchy.
The two-piece rock band JEFF The Brotherhood followed, with a set that could best be described as loud and in your face garage rock. From the first piercing note out of Jake Orrall’s guitar, to the final blast of Jamin’s drum kit, JTB laid down the noise. Having heard some of their material beforehand, this came of no surprise, and didn’t disappoint. Though I confess I was a bit distracted during a portion of their set, after spotting Alison Mosshart cheering from an upper balcony to the left of the stage.
I’ve always admired The Kills incredible sense of style. In person, the duo looked every bit as awesome as you would expect. Alison’s frazzled pink hair gave way to shades of blonde and black, as she confronted the crowd. Interestingly, The Kills were joined on stage throughout the night by a pair of bandana-toting upright drummers. The drummers actually added a nice touch, not only aesthetically, but audibly, even playing tambourines during the closing track.
Next they played two old favorites, “Kissy Kissy” and “URA Fever”. The latter of which received a roar of approval from the crowd, in response to those irresistible telephone beeps. These tracks perfectly showcased the chemistry between Alison and Jamie.
In a rare occurrence, the band was joined by a pair of background singers for “DNA” and “Satellite”. However, their impact was minimal, as Jamie’s wonderful guitar fuzz in “Satellite” stole the focus, lending itself well to the rocking crowd. The Patsy Cline classic “Crazy”, which seemed to resonate well with the crowd, as did one of my favorites: “Baby Says”.
The slowed-down version of “Nail in My Coffin” seemed to throw everyone off momentarily, but did well to lead into “Black Balloon”. The crowd did their best to clap along with the aforementioned drummers, eventually admitting defeat and fading into a muffled applause.
During “Tape Song” and “Cheap And Cheerful” the crowd erupted into a free-for-all mosh, as a hoard of individuals made a push to the front of the stage. This rush resulted in a complete shuffle of positions, and I wound up being pushed back a row. At the song’s conclusion, Jamie amusingly prompted the crowd, saying “If you're going to fight, please let everyone join in... don't do it while I’m playing guitar, it’s not fair.” The Kills closed the set with “Pots and Pans”, and briefly exited the stage.
The emotional peak of the night was unquestionably “The Last Goodbye”, the first performance of the band’s encore. Jamie quietly retreated to a keyboard with a bottle of wine in hand, as Alison took center stage. The emotion in her voice was remarkable, and seemed to strike the crowd into awe. They then continued the encore with the always popular and lively “Sour Cherry”, which injected another dose of adrenaline into the now delirious crowd.
Finally, they played out the last tune of the night, “Monkey 23”. At the song’s conclusion, Jamie and Alison crept to the edge of the stage and bowed, her glorious fray of pink hair lashing one final time. The crowd surrendered one more massive roar, their thanks for an unforgettable night.
If you would like to hear The Kills 9:30 Club performance in its entirety, check out NPR’s “Live In Concert” feature here.
Tonight, The Kills will celebrate their tenth anniversary with a performance at Terminal 5 in New York City. It's sure to be a memorable and emotional night for the band. The show will be live-streamed by MTV at 10:30 ET, so be sure to tune in. I know I’ll be watching. Ten years is a long tenure for any band and should be deemed a great accomplishment. To put it in perspective, The Beatles entire career spanned only ten years in total. I want to thank Alison and Jamie for every song, every album, and every show they’ve played in those ten years. There are no holes in their catalogue, something that’s true for few bands in this era.
Long live Hotel and VV. Here’s to another ten years.
