Leon Live

Went with friends to see the Kings of Leon at Slim’s tonight. Totally jamming Tennessee rock by a band of stringy-haired brothers (and one bearded cousin — the drummer, of course). Solid, enjoyable, but not quite the “magical” experience I had heard that their live shows can be.

We had set ourselves a question at the start of the night: Are these guys for real, or some kind of Spinal Tap for down-home rock? There’s something slightly unbelievable about them, hard to put your finger on. Something in their image that seems … overly intentional. Like they’re trying too hard to be from Tennessee or something. If you believe their biography, the Kings are the sons of an alcoholic preacher man. Sounds too good to be true. But then again, life is strange. At the end of the night, I’m still not sure, but am inclined to agree with Eggers that these guys are for real.

Just bummed the show was way short, and that I didn’t get to hear that track with the kick-ass yodeling.

Music: Fela Kuti :: You No Go Die… Unless

4 Replies to “Leon Live”

  1. feh. the eggers piece is nothing more then evidence that he gets paid by the word.

    as for the kings, i don’t know how they merit as much brain time as you (and eggers) give them. they are just another garage band. what does it matter that: they are brothers? they have a preacher man father? their preacher man father was a drunk? they are from tennessee?

    not getting his nizzle tizzled, i am,

    baald

  2. I’m not sure I’d call their style “garage.” There’s some of that in them, but it’s kind of more a Detroit sound, not quite jangly/grainy enough to be garage. But they’re no Stooges, that’s for sure, regardless what the hair implies.

  3. I’ve listened hard, trying to hear something truly redeeming in the Leon’s music, but it just sounds like chicken-fried Strokes to me. There is a genuine Southern-rock revival though, check out the Drive-By Truckers.

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