LIVE REPORT: The Kooks @ La Flèche d'Or

My review, in French, for The Kooks's new album Junk Of The Heart is on www.soundofviolence.net (rated 2 stars out of 5, check out why)

A few months after their gig at La Cigale, The Kooks were back in Paris to play a one-hour showcase to promote the release of their third albumJunk Of The Heart .

Sold out within a few minutes, the gig was more than highly-anticipated by the fans as well as by the press, who was massively present last night. Only 350 tickets were on sale and that made this concert really special.
I arrived there at around 8:45, not willing to queue (honestly, I'm a little too old for that- and not enough of a fan). Surprisingly, the venue was jus half-crowded. Some fans had been waiting since 9AM while the rest of the older crowd was lazying around the bar or in the beer garden, enjoying a last smoke. This concert was also special as it was broadcast "on the World Wide Internet" (quoting Luke Pritchard). A chance for them -or not- a lot of the press and record companies people were there-which meant a quiet crowd.

After the most horrendous cover of I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor blasting from the speakers, at 9PM sharp, the lights shone out and the band came onstage. Pritchard had his long-time, rock n' roll poet, Donovan look and Hugh Harris keeps reminding me of Art Garfunkel. Stage animals, that's what these guys are. Pritchard knows how to grip a crowd and from Always Where to Ooh La or Shine On, the band played their main singles, alternating with new songs-including the already famous How d'You Like That. But why-oh why- is Saboteur not on Junk Of The Heart?

In the review published on Sound Of Violence, I was pretty harsh on the new album, which I still think is far too soft or too slow. So when I heard Saboteur, which is one of the greatest rock tune I've heard recently, with a heavy late 60s vibe, I even wondered if it was a cover. Clearly, the new album, apart from the couple of tunes they played, remains too mellow, almost unfinished but on stage, these guys spread their wings.

After three last songs, the band ran off stage, protected by guards. A great evening with a great band, what else should we ask for?

The setlist was
- Always Where
- See The World
- Is It Me
- Ooh La
- Eskimo Kiss
- Sway
- How'd You Like That
- She Moves
- Junk
- Shine On
- Do You Wanna
- Naive
---------------------------
- Seaside
- Saboteur
- Sofa Song