Why The Kooks (w. The Morning Benders) Sold Out Their 2 NYC Shows To Close Out Their US Tour?
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Track:Brooklyn
Top 6 reasons The Kooks/The Morning Benders Shows sold out in NYC?
1. The Kooks Are Semi-Demi Gods In Indie Rock in Britain...and US hipsters wanted to partake in the fun
2. There's something wildly addictive about The Kooks- in the way The Artic Monkeys were kinda wildly addictive 2 years ago.....Maybe it's the accent, maybe it's the skinny jeans, maybe it's the easy hooks, maybe it's the youthful cockiness, we will never know.
3. At 23 Luke Pritchard (lead singer of the Kooks; yup the guy wearing the golden headband) makes everyone and everyone feel younger or wish they felt younger
4. Half the audience WAS young (in their teens and twenties) and probably were crushing on the boys
5. The Berkley contingent of New York City came out to support The Morning Benders, the cute quirky indie rockers out of the Bay Area
6. Terminal 5 not only has a state of the art soundsystem, it also evidently has a state-of the art air conditioning system. Since NY was steaming hot that day, the venue offered a nice reprive from the heat.
Here's the picture tale below:
Kevin Chu - the lead singer of the Morning Benders- used to work at a recording studio and instead of pay, go free studio time in exchange for work...
The band had " />
The band had "BRITNEY SPEARS" stickers on all their equipment. We don't know why.
True most people in the venue were asking " />
True most people in the venue were asking "who are the Morning Benders" were....since they were added to the bill after the show already sold-out. FYI In case you don't know, they are like the Shins or the Beatles in terms of sound- light-hearted, Berkley-based indie rockers. They are young too - early 20s...
By the time The Kooks rolled onstage- the crowd was ready for a riotous show.
From the first song - they had the crowd in a frenzy.
The Kooks not only rock, they look like god damn rockers, huh?
Serious fans.
Luke did this sick solo acoustic set- as an encore. That's when we realized how much of the heart of the band he controls. He was stunning - just him and a guitar- singing a tear-worthy version of " />
Luke did this sick solo acoustic set- as an encore. That's when we realized how much of the heart of the band he controls. He was stunning - just him and a guitar- singing a tear-worthy version of "sea-side." The guy is a musical ingenue and at 23, I'd keep a steady eye on the guy....He didn't need the lights below to shine. (Excuse the cheesy metaphor).
The god-like moment during the final encore.
Nuf said, their live show is WELL worth the ticket price.
Comments (15)
awesome pics. i love seeing them with wider column in all their deserved glory.
I saw the Kooks in Spain and their live set is much rockier than their indie pop albums suggest. Re the albums, I wore out Inside In..., but Konk only has a couple of tunes that grabbed me. Great pix... they capture the dramatic lighting effects really well. And golden handbands are clearly catching on. I'm going out forthwith to get my head sized for one...
"golden handbands headbands" (thanks for that new feature, David!)
"The Kooks Are Semi-Demi Gods In Indie Rock in Britain" erm, only amongst 14 year old girls... if you squint, they almost look like a real band.
"The Kooks Are Semi-Demi Gods In Indie Rock in Britain" -- I thought it was Kaiser Chiefs, Oasis' torch carriers.
Great pictures, Pixie...
Note:
" "The Kooks Are Semi-Demi Gods In Indie Rock in Britain" erm, only amongst 14 year old girls... if you squint, they almost look like a real band. "
Some might even say: "If you're deaf on both eyes, they almost sound like a real band...
Good show and photo recap, pixie.
I guess I shouldn't be *that* surprised they actually sold out that big, sometimes-fan-friendly-challenged barn (Terminal 5). Personally I cringe when I see bands are playing there (much prefer the Bowery venues down the food chain - Webster, Bowery (although it too has its issues) and Mercury Lounge.
Still, I like your straightforward, quick and dirty style of journalism.
Good info.
A few questions/comments:
1. Is Terminal 5 really as bad of a venue as people make it out to be (never been there)
2. I'm still scratching my head why only the younger demo in the states is so into this band? I don't mind them that badly and I'm 32. I guess my question is how do so many young uns know about The Kooks?
3. The modern day Monkies (Arctic that is) are oddly sort of out of the US spotlight - The Kooks never stole that hype away like the AM's - why so for the AM's? Why not for The Kooks?
4. Never heard of the Morning Bends - will have to check 'em out - sound like they could be good although it's hard to match The Shins and/or The Fab 4.
re "The Kooks Are Semi-Demi Gods In Indie Rock in Britain" ... it isnt just among 14 year old fans, because theyve won over most radio stations - and once a band wins over radio one, they get constant airplay (not even an exaggeration), mainstage festival slots, a massive fanbase and a platform to move over to the US.
haha ok I have been CLARIFIED by you Brits..that the Kooks are only loved by 14 year olds. Well- I was told by a Brit that they were pretty god damn famous in the UK, but he's pretty young so maybe that was fast judgement on my part. :) hehe
I really like at least 3 of their songs- granted it's commerical, EASY hooks, but they really do take me back to a time when I was about 14 and everything WAS easy, carefree and I didn't have a worry in the world.
Can't you like bands just for that factor? Isn't that was guiltless pop is all about.
And for Eric:
1. Is Terminal 5 really as bad of a venue as people make it out to be (never been there)
well I am one of those downtown new yorkers who packs bags and brings maps if she travels above 14th street -- so in that sense, at 54th and 11th, it is a trek out to no where. It's also this huge monsterous venue that looks like a spaceship - so I understand some peoples frustration. However, It's set up on 3 levels so unless you are really lazy- you can find at least one hole to duck into to see pppl.
2. I'm still scratching my head why only the younger demo in the states is so into this band? I don't mind them that badly and I'm 32. I guess my question is how do so many young uns know about The Kooks?
It's because it is easy, catchy, and the dudes are young and hot. I swear there is something pseudo-mythical about Luke Pritchard- at 23, he carried the whole crowd with an acoustic set past 11pm on a Tuesday. That's mythical by NY concert standards (then again, most of the kids didn't need to go to school the next day). It's music about love and crushes and hearbreak but all condensed without an extreme amount of cyniscm many artists hold..there's always a pretty uplifting beat to buttress it as well. It's half-glass-full rock - despite them wearing mostly black :)
3. The modern day Monkies (Arctic that is) are oddly sort of out of the US spotlight - The Kooks never stole that hype away like the AM's - why so for the AM's? Why not for The Kooks?
Hmmm I thought there was one summer when the artic monkeys were it- when they had that song "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor"....
4. Never heard of the Morning Bends - will have to check 'em out - sound like they could be good although it's hard to match The Shins and/or The Fab 4.
I think they were a bit nervous for their set- while the Kooks were very 'alive' onstage- and knew how to build the audience - starting out with a killer single and bursting with energy- the AM Benders were a bit staid onstage- not really drawing the audience in... They are young though and I think this was one of their first NY sets, so I hope to see em grow.
Their songs are pretty catchy tho.
Here's some samples for ya mate.
The Morning Benders (unofficial acoustic of Cross-Eyed)
The Morning Benders (official version of Boarded Doors)
Phew- Eric you really put me to work!!
nice pics & awesome story!
great pictures. my girl was at the boston show on monday. do you know what the setlist was? he did seaside acoustic there too. i agree, its guiltless pop, no need to bear down on it too harshly
I just remembered my favourite quote about The Kooks, courtesy of Razorlight's Johnny Borrell "It sounds like the band are literally rolling over, sticking their arse in the air and begging Radio 1 to fuck them." Says it all really.
7. The Kooks have a very attentive U.S. promotion team.
wow, jox is coming out with his fists a swinging.............. and for the record I am not a 14 year old girl, but I like the Kooks quite a bit. I also liked your top 6 reasons portion of the post, and every time I see someone with tight jeans on I wish I were a little bit younger!
I'm with Joxley 100%. Theres a lot of hate for the Kooks in the UK...