Long Beach, California is a 12-hour flight from Dublin, but jet lag didn’t affect the Cold War Kids in the least. The quartet played to a packed house at the Ambassador with a no-nonsense approach, opting for minimal banter, and powering through their set. The Kids kicked off with the keyboard-driven ‘We Used To Vacation’ and effortlessly jumped from the whistling lullaby of ‘Pregnant’ to the thumping bass line of ‘Hang Me Up To Dry’. Taking a break from their own material, the boys paused to cover Tom Waits’ ‘Dirt In The Ground’. Front man Nathan Willett’s rasping wail took a beating but managed to hold out for the entire show nonetheless.
Most refreshing, however, was the band’s downright enthusiasm. From guitarist Jonnie Russell’s knock-kneed two step to the use of a Jameson bottle as a makeshift cowbell on ‘Saint John’, the Kids appeared to genuinely enjoy themselves. Leaving the stage to a chorus of cheers, Willett thanked the crowd, saying, “We’re from Long Beach. You probably don’t know how far away that is, but it’s a really beautiful thing that we’re here to play for all of you!” Hopefully, the Kids will make the trek across the pond again. Soon.