Kooks - Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, 12/2/2019

  by L. Paul Mann

published: 11 / 3 / 2019

intro

L. Paul Mann watches and photographs British folk blues rockers the Kooks play a triumphant set at the Hollywood Palladium.

The English band, the Kooks, brought the latest British Invasion of indie rock music to an enthusiastic crowd at the Hollywood Palkadium. The Los Angeles Indie rockers FUTURE FEATS opened the show early on to a sparse but energetic young crowd. The band played a short, intense set of music that included their two released recordings, 'Cities of Wonder' and 'Same Mistakes'. The sound, albeit a bit disorganized, had a rich, intricate feel much like the experimental rock bands of the 1970s. The lead singer who goes by the single name, Josh, pranced maniacally about the stage while the group led by an intense drummer played fierce freestyle rock. The venue began to fill with anxious music fans as the second band of the night took the stage led by English singer Barnes Courtney. The young singer played a blues-inspired set channeling rock greats like the Doors and T. Rex. The flamboyant performer also exhibited musical influences culled from his youth as a Seattle resident. His set list included well-known tunes like 'Golden Dandelions', '99', 'Kicks', 'Fire' and 'Glitter and Gold', all of which excited a swelling crowd that pushed closer and closer to the stage. The charismatic singer periodically crowd surfed into the audience of delighted young music fans. By the time the Kooks triumphantly sauntered onto the stage, the crowd at the venue had swelled to near capacity. Since their formation back in 2004, they have garnered a loyal fanbase, including an exuberant Hollywood crowd at the Palladium. The group proceeded to tear through a nineteen song set list including two encores in less than two hours. Opening with an intense rock rendition of 'Eddie’s Gun' from their debut album 'Inside In/Inside Out', the band immediately captured the rapt attention of a swarming crowd packed against the front of the stage in the cavernous theatre. Lead singer and guitarist Luke Pritchard held sway over an enraptured audience and led the band through a set showcasing work from their new album 'Let's Go Sunshine' as well as their first four releases. Pritchard bantered with the crowd throughout the evening, touching on a range of subjects from legalized cannabis in California to the current political climate in the UK. But the long setlist of popular tunes spanning the band's entire career was the catalyst that captivated the crowd throughout the set. By the time the band closed out their two-song encore with perhaps their most famous song, 'Naive', most everyone in the crowd was singing and smiling along to the music. It seems the British Invasion of folksy blues rock is alive and well in Hollywood in 2019. Photos by L. Paul Mann www.lpaulmann.com

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