Kings Of Leon at Tennent's Vital Belfast

It’s been nearly a decade since Nashville four-piece Kings Of Leon last set foot on the Tennent’s Vital stage and tonight, in front of around 30,000 or so rain-sodden punters, the sons (and nephew) of a preacher man prepare to make their grand return in style. But before we get to the aforementioned comeback kids, we’ve got The Undertones and The Vaccines to warm us up for the main event.
While there’s no doubting the strength of the Derry band’s back catalogue, their show this evening feels a little too routine and even brilliant songs like ‘Here Comes The Summer’ and ‘Teenage Kicks’ (which the punters beside me refer to as a One Direction song...) sound relatively flat.
The Vaccines, on the other hand, are full of surprises and perform a set packed with indie anthems, proving they’ve plenty of great songs in their locker to appease both the faithful and the fairweather. ‘Wrecking Bar (Ra Ra Ra)’ and ‘Teenage Icon’ are highlights and Justin Hayward-Young and Co. leave the stage safe in the knowledge that they’ve gained lots of new fans in the process.
After a brief change-around, the strains of Aha Shake Heartbreak classic ‘The Bucket’ signals the return of the Kings. As they kick into that now famous groove, it seems like the quartet have barely missed a beat. It’s no secret that it’s been a bit of a torrid time in the KOL camp of late, but after taking a hiatus last year and then making a new album on the quiet (the up-coming Mechanical Bull), they look refreshed and ready to fight for their place among rock’s heavy hitters.
Oldies ‘Four Kicks’ and ‘Molly’s Chambers’ are especially savage, with the latter sounding nice and meaty thanks to a beefed up riff during the verse and some more than welcome down-tuned chugging. Tailor-made for the roomy setting of the Boucher Playing Fields, ‘Fans’ and ‘Crawl’ are played immaculately.
With their sixth album under wraps until the end of September, Kings Of Leon opt to play just two tracks from the up-coming opus. Current single ‘Supersoaker’ is a classic southern fried rocker that already sounds like an old favourite, but it’s ‘Don’t Matter’ that really impresses. A heavy track that suggests the Followill family spent their time-off listening to Stooges and QOTSA records, if the rest of Mechanical Bull sounds like this, then we’re in for a treat.
After an epic version of ‘Knocked Up’ and then traditional set-closer ‘Use Somebody,’ they’re back for ‘Radioactive,’ ‘Sex On Fire’ and ‘Black Thumbnail’. If tonight is anything to go by, it looks like Kings Of Leon are more than ready to reclaim their throne. Welcome back boys.