Kings of Leon review: The soundtrack of a summer night
Written by Skye Taylor
Kings of Leon at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow | Credit: Skye Taylor
Kings of Leon, a band known by all. The band who created the summer anthems that everyone recognises like ‘Sex on Fire’ and ‘Use Somebody’. These are the types of songs that make adults remember their youth and that the kids of today have incorporated into theirs. Their music has a special part in everyones life, from a specific person, a time, or even special moments like a wedding. This band make tunes that creates memories.
Before Kings of Leon, there were two support acts that warmed up the Glasgow crowd. The Royston Club were the first and are one of the best supports you could get if you want your crowd energised. And without fail, you get that upbeat reaction everytime no matter the venue’s size. For an opening act, their energy was off the charts as everyone screamed along to their tunes like ‘52’ and ‘Cariad’.
The next supporting act was The Lathums with their unbelievable vocals and their insane guitar playing. It’s safe to say that their set blew everyone away. Even those who weren’t familiar with their work were bouncing about at Bellahouston Park and feeling the music. They sounded unbelievable and were perfect just in time for the main headliner. The moment that everyone has been waiting for.
As the clock hit 8:45, the wait was almost over as Kings of Leon were coming out any minute. From the moment they hit the stage the atmosphere was insane. Looking around, the crowd was full of mixed age groups, showing the generational impact that Kings of Leon’s music has. Everyone came together to experience the nostalgia of true good music.
They opened the set with ‘Find Me’ from their 2016 album Walls. Although it was slower start to the gig, everything started to pick up and piece together slowly.
Credit: Skye Taylor
The rain certainly did not stop anyone. The crowd roared for every single song they played. Hit after hit and not a weak track on the setlist. They played a lot of their older music with some newer stuff in the mix, but regardless, everyone knew every song no matter the album or year.
As the set progressed after they played ‘Manhattan’, it truly started to bring every vibe imaginable. The ‘Waste a Moment’ intro started echoing through Glasgow. One of the most beautiful songs in Kings of Leon’s discography and it hit all the right spots live. The sound of the music lingering across Bellahouston Park created an unbelievable experience. Frontman Caleb Followill looked as if he was truly feeling the music alongside his brother and bassist, Jared Followill.
The band sounded impeccable together, from the vocals to the drums, from the bass to the guitars, it all just fit so well together and created a game-changing stage presence.
The crowd really got going on their big hits such as ‘Pyro’, ‘Use Somebody’ and ‘Knocked Up’. The crowd was electric and the atmosphere was filled with happiness. But the biggest hit was still to come.
The last remaining song was ‘Sex on Fire’, their most popular and memorable track of all. From only listening to this song on Spotify to seeing it performed by the band right in front of your eyes was life-changing. There was not a single person in the audience that wasn’t enjoying themselves, taking in every moment before the night concluded. It was in-fact a night to remember and the best beginning to summer with thee summer band.