The Kills
Neptune Theatre, Seattle, WA
10.27.14
The Neptune hosted The Kills Monday night, along with 900 bodies eager to see the half-English duo tear it up. Like most shows in Seattle begging mention, it was sold out. And, for whatever reason, The Kills chose this stop to record their performance, with the Neptune staff meticulously keeping the attendees on their best behavior. This was a good thing, as I had spent random time pondering exactly how disrespectful it would be to shout requests for Discount songs. Ahh, the Florida kid in me, never to be removed, like the huge Discount tattoo on my leg. Maybe I shouldn’t be the one to write this review, or I absolutely should be. Either way, only two voices dominated the room, and neither of them were mine. This was far removed from a crappy skate park in Clearwater. I instead spent the evening struggling to repurpose my teenage musical love.
Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince, self-dubbed VV and Hotel, took the stage to a backdrop of leopard print and drowning cheers. Going into “U. R. A. Fever,” their sound was thick and spot-on, with enthusiastic cheers creating tidal waves of noise. Mosshart, in true Seattle form, sported a plaid shirt for the occasion. Opting out of drum machine tactics for their live recording, two touring drummers occupied the back of the stage. And, while their lighting is usually sparse, The Kills did have substantial lights for this performance with little fog. Between the reds and purples, Mosshart and Hince played furiously as the video rolled. Hince continued in his role of guitar and assisting vocals, while Mosshart did most of the heavy lifting. In addition to the lion’s share of vocals, she also traded from guitar to drums to keyboard. At times she seemed to be the only one on stage, snapping attention with her flying blonde hair. The set went by with little to no connection with the audience, as neither Mosshart nor Hince said much of anything. Ending solo on her keyboard with “The Last Goodbye,” The Kills took a bow and gave the crowd a “thank you so much.”
All good things must come to an end.
Danish lady trio Baby In Vain put the first stamp on the evening, finding a warm reception in Seattle with their grungy, indie style. This band was assembled back in 2010 and continues to find footing in the US. Baby In Vain is scheduled for SXSW in 2015, and if you’re lucky enough to attend, prepare yourself for heavy guitar sounds and in-your-face vocals. They know how to rock.
Review by T. Monte
Photos by Sunny Martini
The Kills
