Clash Club played host once again to a packed Luminaire in London as the Brighton scoundrels The Kooks topped a sell-out bill and brought the house down with a stripped-down acoustic set of new songs, old favourites and covers.
First up on the evening was Twisted Charm, fresh off the road from their support slot with The Klaxons. Their suitably twisted chunks of madness kicked things off with a bang. Frantic sax lines punctuated a frenzied attack of punk-funk, slapping the face of everyone who had come down thinking this was going to be a sit-down all-acoustic gig. A brilliant, all out onslaught of the senses.
Next up, new Virgin signings and fellow Brightonians, Cat The Dog. Their heavy rocking had all in attendance trapped in their glare, and proceeded to unleash their scuzzy blues until band and audience alike were spent of all juices, and our dancing shoes were well and truly trod on.
Finally, it was time for the headliners. Three quarters of The Kooks – Luke, Hugh and Max – had turned up with only their acoustic guitars to sing for the people. Walking on stage to the sound of The Rolling Stones‘ ‘Jigsaw Puzzle’, the impatient crowd could hardly contain their excitement.
Sound problems blighted the start, while Luke kept the crowd’s attention with a quick cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘Tangled Up In Blue’. Things quickly improved, and the night got underway with stellar performances of ‘You Don’t Love Me’, ‘Naive’, ‘She Moves In Her Own Way’ being accompanied by all and sundry gathered in the Kilburn club.
Continued shouts of requests from corners of the crowd for their cover of Gnarls Barkley’s ‘Crazy’ went unfulfilled (”We’re not gonna fuckin’ play ‘Crazy’!” Luke retorted, laughing).
Leaving to unanimous adoring whistles and cheers, The Kooks gathered backstage to rave to Clash about how much they had enjoyed the evening.
