Lead singer Caleb Followill on stage at the BST Festival in Hyde Park (Picture Dave J Hogan/Hogan Media)
When you think of Kings of Leon, who stunned the crowds on Sunday at BST Hyde Park, your mind no doubt goes to the hedonistic and ridiculously catchy track that is Sex On Fire.
Since its release in 2008, the hit – which spent an impressive three weeks at the number one spot in the UK charts – has become somewhat of an honorary national anthem (even though the band originates from Nashville, Tennessee). Prom night? Last orders? Football game? Go on then; let’s stick it on.
Even brothers Caleb and Jared Followill (the lead singer and bassist, respectively) don’t necessarily like performing it, but they’ve grown to appreciate the broader impact that it has had.
In an interview with Radio X this year, for example, Caleb commented: ‘It’s one of those songs that we used to kind of… you don’t dread playing it, but it’s one of those things where you would just see how much bigger of a response it got to everything else and it made you feel bad for the rest of [the set].
‘But then you get to a point of pride where you go, “Man we did this. We wrote this song. Let’s go out there and enjoy it.”’
They needn’t worry though. Yes, there will always be that crowd (especially after England clashed against Slovakia in the Euros and won 2-1 moments before their set) that bellows some incoherent slur that faintly resembles the lyrics. But there are also people out there – people like me – who relish the rest of their discography and know them to be more than a one-hit wonder.
Kings of Leon proved they have range and are more than just one song. (Picture: Ellie Koepke)
Luckily, then, punters from both sides of the spectrum were well-served during their British Summertime Festival performance at London’s Hyde Park this Sunday, which followed on from SZA’s headline act the night before.
I was cheered, in particular, to hear the sultry and sexy bass of On Call and Taper Jean Girl, a heady rock track with a sort of Southern hick vibe, that featured on their second studio album, Aha Shake Heartbreak.
On a more personal level, these songs transported me back to my teenage years, when I would load up my bright green iPod Nano and assume a confident strut on the way to school (that would instantly fall away at the gates, of course). They also reminded me of my time spent in America – especially in the southern states, where there’s charm and heart aplenty.
So, what’s so special about seeing Kings of Leon live? Well for starters they have a canon that’s perfect for the outdoor arena. Their songs carry and create the right atmosphere for this type of setting, offering a nice blend of upbeat guitar riffs and seductive ballads – not too dissimilar to those of Paolo Nutini, who came on just before them.
Scottish singer Paolo Nutini graced the stage before the Kings of Leon ( Picture: HP van Velthoven)
Then there’s the fact that they really are musically talented. I know this might sound silly, but I am always genuinely surprised when artists – especially rock musicians – can actually sing or know how to work their way around a fretboard. It’s also refreshing to have a pared-back performance that lets the music do the talking.
Which brings me nicely to my next point. Kings of Leon don’t dilly-dally and fill the in-between moments with self-indulgent monologues. They get down and dirty with the music and, with a couple of choice words, introduce the next track and move swiftly on.
You could argue that showmanship is about stage presence and having these moments to connect with fans – and it’s not that they don’t.
But when all’s said and done, you are there for one thing and one thing only: to hear them play.
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