The Kooks arguably became one of the most popular British indie rock bands of the early 2000s with their debut album Inside In / Inside Out. Over the years, they’ve gained a massive following right here in Australia and have since made it home, quickly rescheduling their cancelled shows from last year and coming right back to Aussie shores not even a year out from when they were set to perform at Palais Theatre in April last year.
Kicking off the iconic Palace Foreshore music series in St Kilda, Melbourne, The Kooks were first up in the lineup of an impressive list of international and local artists, celebrating the release of their seventh studio album, Never/Know, on the 9th of May.
But before jumping too far ahead, it’s hard not to mention the incredible set by American folk rock artist, Briston Maroney. It was the first time he had ever played shows in Australia, and it was nothing short of a good time. With tunes like “Bottle Rocket”, “Small Talk”, and “Freakin’ Out On The Interstate”, he got the crowd warmed up and hyped for The Kooks.
The Kooks conveniently had their name plastered all over the screens on stage, creating a sense of excitement before they made their way onto the stage at around 8:30 pm. They immediately got the crowd dancing and jumping around with “Sofa Song”, and went straight into another throwback with “Ooh La” to keep the classic vibes going.
Then, for the first (of many times) in the show, lead singer Luke Pritchard addressed the audience, and thanked them for being there, speaking about how excited they were to be starting the tour for their upcoming seventh album, before playing “She Moves In Her Own Way.” They continue the nostalgic set (in a somewhat chronological order) with “Stormy Weather”. He praised the crowd for their energy and that the seventh album will be more “stripped back” and emulate a “rock and soul” type of energy, before playing a new song called “Sunny Baby”.
They went right back into the set for the night, and played “Bad Habit” and “Westside”, with Pritchard blowing kisses to the crowd and checking in on how the audience are feeling from back to front. But before diving into “See Me Now”, in a heartfelt moment, Pritchard introduces the song as a ballad he wrote for his father years back and how it means so much more to him now that he’s a father. The song ends with a photo of Pritchard’s dad on screen.
Switching gears and ditching the chronological order of the set, they play fan favourites such as “Eddie’s Gun”, “Sweet Emotion”, a new unnamed track from their seventh album Never/Know, “Always Where I Need To Be”, and “Do You Wanna”.
The rest of the band goes off stage, leaving Pritchard to perform a short acoustic set on his own. He makes a note that there is “nowhere more fitting” than right in the heart of St Kilda to sing “Seaside,” before playing, in his own words, a “deep cut” with “Watching The Ships Sail In.”
The band returned and played “Never Know”, “Matchbox”, and “Junk of the Heart (Happy)”, before thanking the crowd and hopping off for their faux concert end.
An onslaught of cheers erupted and people stomped their feet, loud enough to be felt in the concrete ground, begging The Kooks to come back for an encore. People were even yelling and requesting them to play “Jackie Big Tits.” The enthusiasm didn’t go unheard, and The Kooks came crashing back on stage to play their final songs. “Do You Want To See The World”, a little taste of “Jackie Big Tits” to appease the audience, with a promise to play the whole song the next time they come, and ending the set with their massive hit, “Naive.”
All four band members came to the front of the stage and bowed to close off a buzzing show.
It would be a disservice not to mention how captivating Luke Pritchard’s stage presence is. Watching him on stage is electric and his energy is contagious. He helps bring the show to life through his interaction with the audience, and incredible vocals.
The show was amazing from start to finish. Almost twenty years after their first appearance on the music scene, The Kooks have proven time and time again that indie rock is well and alive.
The Kooks are playing Yours & Owls this weekend, before heading to Adelaide and Perth. Get your tickets HERE.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Images credited to: Will Hamilton-Coates
