It can be weird seeing a band for the first time, especially one that has risen in popularity over the span of several albums and progressively plays larger venues every tour. I felt this way sitting in my seat way up in the balcony section at Danforth Music Hall for The Kills.
The Music Hall’s expansive stage, adorned with a leopard-print backdrop, seemed much too stately and large for the garage rock duo (accompanied by two drummers). I couldn’t help but feel regretful for never seeing the band play before, in a smaller venue.
That being said, the set list was perfect for a first-timer like me. The Kills’ last album, Blood Pressures, came out two years ago in 2011, and the bulk of the set list consisted of these songs. The show opened with two songs from that album, “Future Starts Slow” and “Heart Is A Beating Drum.”
The Kills, as a duo, famously thrive on polar opposites. Guitarist Jamie Hince exudes effortless cool (the British accent helps!), with a side of stoicism, while delivering blistering guitar licks with his vocals. The guy is so cool that he used the mic stand as a slide on “Monkey 23” without looking impressed with himself. Alison Mosshart, with her wild bleached blonde hair, paces and stalks around the stage with intensity and seeming restlessness. When she sings, her voice is ferociously sensual without abandon. It’s nearly impossible to talk about The Kills without mentioning the duo’s chemistry and unmistakable sexual tension (despite never having been together romantically, so they claim).
They played song after song to ecstatic cheers – “URA Fever,” “Tape Song” and “DNA” were personal highlights for me. The rock ‘n’ roll pace slowed down a few notches for “Pots and Pans” and “Black Balloon” – in which the two drummers tried to lead the crowd in the clapping rhythm – but still maintained the same intensity. Despite being far away in the balcony section, my vantage point allowed me to focus my attention on Mosshart or Hince (or both) at any given time. I found it impossible to take my eyes off either one of them.
The encore consisted of four songs: “Last Goodbye, “Last Day of Magic, “Fried My Little Brains” and “Sour Cherry.” While the set list contained zero new songs, the band is said to be working on their fifth studio album. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too much longer to hear it.