TAMPA – It was apparent on Saturday
at the ASK GARY Amphitheatre that the
Kings of Leon’s popularity has exploded
since their latest album release in 2008.
I haven’t seen a band attract that many
fans into an amphitheatre since the Blink
182 reunion tour, host to nearly 15,000
fans.
Opening for KOL were The Whigs and
The Black Keys.
The choice to bring these two bands out
on the road was definitely the right one.
Their complimentary music styles
suited the audience, giving them the extra
boost of energy they needed before the
main act took the stage.
The obvious chemistry among Kings
of Leon members not only comes from the
music, but their genes.
The quartet is comprised of the three
Followill brothers, Caleb, Nathan and
Jared, and cousin Matthew, whose last
name is also Followill.
Having the ease and comfort of being
on stage with family has given them a oneup
on the competition.
But it wasn’t only the stage presence of
the Kings that rocked the Tampa crowd.
A blanket of golden lights danced
behind the band throughout the show,
accompanied by a contrasting black and
white video setup.
The solid set list included a few new
songs that have yet to be released, along
with crowd favorites, such as “Notion,”
“Knocked Up” and “Sex on Fire.”
The band maintained the climax of the
show until the encore, when the audience’s
prayers were answered.
The words of “Use Somebody” were
loudly heard over lead singer, Caleb
Followill’s voice as everyone sang in
unison.
If the reaction to this show is an
indication of how fans will respond to the
new album, Come Around Sundown, the
Kings will have quite a future ahead of
them.
Keri Smith can be reached at kasmith@
spartans.ut.edu.
Just an FYI, pretty much all the major country shows each summer pull in more than 15k to the amp. Buffet, Chesney, and Paisley all sell that place out almost every time their in town.