Kings of Leon, V stage, V festival, August 17th
Monday, 18 Aug 2008 16:14
Kings of Leon played the main stage at V 2008
inthenews.co.uk's Lewis Bazley sees the Followills stake a claim for the title of best band in the world at Chelmsford.
Just as at Glastonbury, the Followills open with new song Crawl, but while its sleazy groove befuddled the Westcountry attendees, its recent release as a free download sees the V crowd belting the lyrics along with Caleb, before Aha Shake Heartbreak and My Party inspire a pit more fitting to a Slipknot show, even with the frontman remaining as mute as ever.
The lolloping bass of Razz is disappointingly slow and though Molly's Chambers is certainly moody, you can't help but wonder why the Kings eschew the typical live methods and choose to play their strongest songs at a slower pace.
Luckily, upcoming single Sex on Fire saves the day, an immense, soaring anthem in waiting that promises wonderful things from September's Only By The Night.
Its followed by a heavily-tattooed Nathan smashing the life out of King of the Rodeo on the drums before Fans, the family's paean to the British followers is predictably well-received by its subjects who then thirstily drink down a professional rendition of Milk.
Knocked Up shimmers, and seems even more epic than its seven-minute duration suggests while some brief thankyous from Caleb - who looks tired and is not as effusive as at Glastonbury - usher in a sterling three-song climax of The Bucket, the bass-throb of Charmer and the mesmeric Slow Night, So Long.
Critics might have scoffed at Kings of Leon being awarded a headline slot in Somerset, but on this performance, it seems criminal that they were not afforded the same reverence at V.
In the absence of Arcade Fire and as Coldplay flatter to deceive, there may be a new suitor for the title of best band in the world.
Lewis Bazley