Kings Of Leon- Live in Johannesburg

Sigh, the life of a fangirl: another Friday, another cross-country flight to see a band. This time it was Tennessee’s Kings Of Leon that Lauren and I were off to Johannesburg to see. Our flight was due to leave just after 2pm, but the issues began at 10am, when we were informed via sms that our flight had been delayed. This in itself was not a huge problem in my life, the huge problem came in the form of the five or so highly inefficient people I had to deal with to make sure that the flight really was delayed, as well as the four phone numbers which were unanswered. Anyway, the flight really had been delayed, and we eventually departed around 3.45pm. The flight itself was pleasant enough until about half an hour before landing, when we experienced a fair amount of not-so-fun turbulence, now I’m not scared of flying or anything, but I’ve seen Lost…I know how turbulence can end! Needless to say we were more than happy to touch down onto some solid ground.

Saturday morning dawned, and once again we were off to the shops, this time to experience Sandton City, which is absolutely huge and beautifully decorated! Oh I could get lost in some of those shops for hours upon hours, but I’m sure I’m losing my train of thought…. Ahhh, shoes….

As we had seated tickets, we had no need to queue at the stadium a zillion hours before the gates opened, and so we caught the 4pm park ‘n’ ride from Gold Reef City and arrived at the stadium just after the gates opened. This was a completely new experience for me; the last time I’d had seated concert tickets, I’d been 14, but we had still queued for two hours before the gates opened! This is almost refreshing, no need to run or panic about getting a barrier spot, we simply made out way calmly to our seats, then killed some time wandering around looking for food and merchandise. The seats around us began to fill up very slowly, but I had a great view of the general standing area, and the people here fascinated me. They seemed to be acting as though they were at some kind of social event as opposed to a concert. They milled around, greeted friends, left the standing area and came back numerous times…there was no fighting for barrier positions, and to be honest, they didn’t seem too excited, but I’ll get back to that.

Three support bands preceded Kings Of Leon, and might I say that the main support band, Die Heuwels Fantasties, impressed me. I’d seen them almost a year ago, but they had improved a million fold, and even though they are an Afrikaans band, and I only caught snatches of their lyrics, they were very entertaining.

And then…the lights go down, the screens go on, and the Followill boys troop onto the stage to the intro of ‘Radioactive’. My seat is quickly forgotten, and I jump up and down and scream to my heart’s content. Kings Of Leon give an absolutely flawless performance, Caleb’s voice is exactly the same as it sounds on the CD; clearly very little in the way of studio adjustments goes on here. Caleb is so into his performance, it is amazing. One can see the emotion on his face as he utters those perfect vocals, song after song. And when he talks in that southern accent, my heart just melts. The other band members amaze me as well; Matt never stops smiling, Jared is clearly having the time of his life, and Nathan…Nathan is just the very definition of the word ‘cool’. Banging away at his drums with tattooed arms, his long, dark hair blowing in the evening wind, this man is a true rockstar (am I making it blatantly obvious who my favourite is yet?).

The setlist is almost perfect – unfortunately the boys don’t seem to hear me screaming “Chaaaaaaaaaarmerrrrrrrrrrr” though, sigh- and the stage setup is amazing. The lights never stop going crazy, and the screens allow even the furthest people to get a perfect view of the Followill boys’ pretty faces. I do not sit down at all during the 22-song setlist, and I literally spend most of the time jumping up and down, squealing, and taking very blurry photos. I go positively crazy when I hear the first few beats of ‘Fans’! “Eeeeeeeee! Is it ‘Fans’ ? Omg omg omg ‘Fans’ I’m gonna die, eeeeeeeeee”. Then I manage to sing along to the first line of ‘Revelry’ without realizing what song it was, cue a belated freak out session…I do love ‘Revelry’ indeed. By the time ‘Knocked Up’ comes around, I’ve screamed my throat almost to breaking point, and I’m unable to do the ‘whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh’s, but I continue jumping, nonetheless. I feel like I am on the receiving end of some quite serious judgment from the people behind me, as I know almost every word to every single song. I’m the girl who is screaming and jumping and singing to even the less well-known songs such as ‘The Bucket’ and ‘On Call’. Most of the people seated in my block only seem to know the chorus of ‘My Party’, and let’s face it, those lyrics aren’t that difficult. I feel that I am seated with people who just came for a night out, and because they wanted to sing along to that song they’d heard on the radio, what was it called again? Oh yes…‘Sex On Fire’. At least this song gets a great reaction, though Jon Savage’s idea of a surprise flashmob fails miserably. When this song ends, the stage lights go down, and the boys are gone, but I’m not moving a muscle. Surely no one would be thick enough to think that they’d leave without playing ‘Use Somebody’. Well, maybe not… half of the general admissions people are leaving already, flowing out of the area in streams, leaving the back completely empty. But I’m right, and the band returns for an encore of four songs including, of course, ‘Use Somebody’. It seems almost poetic that the rain begins just as the band start to play the third-last song, ‘Manhattan’, it’s almost as if the weather had decided to be nice and allow the concert to proceed, instead of ruining it with the previously predicted thunderstorm. The last song is ‘Black Thumbnail, and it’s quite bad that I know that after this song, the show is really over, that’s how well I’d creeped previous setlists. The show ends with a display of, well, pyro that makes Coldplay’s firework display look like a cute first attempt.

Before I know it, we’re on the park ‘n’ ride bus, then back at our car. The traffic plan, like the rest of the organization is absolutely perfect tonight. Everything from the sound, to the food, to the merchandise stalls cannot be criticized, and Big Concerts deserves a huge congratulations on this.  The thing that saddens me is the lack of vibe on the way back. Instead of bursting out into ‘whoa-oh-oh-oh’s or signing ‘Sex On Fire’, the crowd on the bus back is discussing everything but the concert: the U2 traffic plan, and the finances of the McDonalds drive-thru are hot topics tonight.

Anyway, none of that matters, does it? All that matters is that Kings Of Leon put on an excellent show, and for two hours, I had the absolute time of my life singing along to everything from the radio-friendly ‘Sex On Fire’, to the beautiful ‘Back Down South’ and the explosive ‘Molly’s Chambers’. Well done, KOL, you’re welcome back in our creepy, thunderstorm-filled country any time. 

Getting Excited About KOL

I've had tickets for Kings of Leon since March this year, and trust me, that was a long time ago. This concert always seemed like something in the very, very distant future, not least because my university career would be almost over by the time it arrived. However, the time had finally come, and I can now officially say that I am seeing Kings of Leon this very Saturday night. 

I must give Lauren credit for convincing me to get tickets for this concert, though it really was not a very difficult task. She simply sent me a message saying 'KOL tickets. Now' and I responded 'OK'. Before we knew it, we were in the line to acquire some seated tickets for the show. Seated tickets! Oh the horror! Seats are not the way we usually roll, as we're the type of girls who queue for hours and then creep out way to the barrier of golden circle, meaning that Saturday night is likely to be a whole new experience for us. But we took what we could get, and the fact that we won't be able to reach out and touch Caleb has done little to diminish our excitement! 

For anyone attending these concerts, I highly recommend watching the band's documentary 'Talihina Sky'. I watched it a couple of weeks ago, and was completely entranced. I feel much more connected to the band, and the back story is extremely, well, enlightening is probably the appropriate word here.  

As for the setlist, I've done my fair share of creeping, and I'm pretty certain we'll get the old favourites such as 'Molly's Chambers', 'Taper Jean Girl', 'Sex On Fire', and 'Use Somebody', as well as my personal favourites 'Fans' and 'Back Down South'. I may squeal uncontrollably when I hear the country-style first chords of the latter.

Not the most dedicated to academics at the best of times, the fact that the band are now officially in the country means that my productivity will be low to zero for the rest of the day, and thus I have spent the past hour or so creating the photo's which follow. Sigh, I guess I am just a fangirl through and through! 

Signs You Might Be A Fangirl (part ii)

• You know in-jokes related to your favourite band: A true fangirl is so deeply embedded in fan-culture that they are able to share a unique sense of humour with other fans. For example, if you're a Coldplayer, you'll know all about the LOLdplay movement, which now centers on Jonny Buckland's fan-made obsession with cake. If you're a Victim, you're likely to snort with laughter when Mark Stoermer tweets about being at the airport. My status: both of the examples, was well as countless others, apply to me.

• You've joined a forum related to your favourite band: This doesn't have to be an official fanclub, just somewhere where you can discuss all the latest news about your favourite band, find pictures, post articles, and just generally chat to other fans. Bonus points if you find yourself the admin or moderator of a forum, or if you've started a street team. My status: My fangirling status seems to be re-enforced by every single point I make...

• You have a username related to your favourite band: While omgmarrymechrismartin4815162342@whatevermail.com is quite unlikely, it is perfectly acceptable to use a reference to a song or a lyric as your username on sites such as twitter. It's also a great way to let other fans know instantly that you're one of them. My status: I'm a standard "Fairycat101" everyone on the internet, and for the information of my dear friends, my facebook password it not "brandonflowers".

• You can relate literally everything back to your favourite band, and I mean everything! A whole array of every day items could be a trigger for a serious fangirl spasm, you are likely to smirk or snort with laughter, and anyone around you is likely to cast an odd look in your direction. If seeing a clock will remind you of the Coldplay song, or when you're unable to glimpse a picture of a flamingo without lapsing into a fit of giggles because you're thinking of your favourite man's debut solo album, you know you've got it bad. My status: guilty as charged!

• You bring your favourite band's lyrics into everyday conversation. When you refer to travelling to any location in a roughly southerly direction as "going back down south now”¹ when you talk about someone who has left the room as being "long gone and moved on”^2, or you jump at the chance to squeal "dark clouds roll their way over  town!!!!”³every time you see bad weather approaching, you're probably a fangirl. Be warned, once again, anyone in the vicinity is likely to think that you're losing touch⁴... ah man, I just did it again! My status: I can no longer say the word "waterfall", it's now "wa-a-a-a-aterfall”⁵

1: Kings Of Leon- Back Down South. 2: The Script- Long Gone and Moved On. 3: Brandon Flowers- Crossfire. 4: The Killers- Losing Touch. 5: Coldplay- Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall

Disappointment Left, Right, and Center

Some say that certain people get so involved in bands (in other words, become fangirls) because a band is unable to cause you pain, the way a "real person" might. Let me be the one to inform you that this is completely untrue! 

All of the issues with Kings Of Leon, who have now cancelled their entire US tour, have led to some serious worries about whether or not the South African leg of the tour will go ahead as planned. Big Concerts has assured everyone that it will, and for now things seem on track, but one just never knows what happens closer to the time. Personally, I'm more concerned about potentially not seeing them than I am about the money I'd lose on the flights I've booked. But for now, let's be positive and hope that all goes according to plan, and that on the night of the 29th of October I will be screaming my lungs out to "Pyro", "Charmer" and "Back Down South". 

Now onto the next let-down: I am unfortunate enough to live in a tiny town that gets very, very few live concerts. One of these rare gems was to take place this Friday night, and the thought of seeing the band was the only thing getting me through this week. Just a few minutes ago, the band announced that they've had to cancel the show due to "circumstances beyond their control". Sigh. I don't know what the reason is, so I'm in no position to assign blame or to make any kind of comment on the cancellation, but I can say that I'm sad about it. No angry, not annoyed, I'm not currently building a bonfire in which to burn their CD's, but I am just sad.

The next band gracing the town with their presence perform on the 17th of August, ah well, only a few more weeks till I get get my fix...

Kings, This Is Not Winning!

Yesterday morning, I found out via twitter that Kings Of Leon had cancelled a show in Dallas, Texas halfway through the set. By doing what I do best (i.e. creeping) I managed to track down some more details about the incident. It seems that frontman Caleb complained of problems with his voice about seven songs into the set. He then said that he needed to go off stage to vomit and drink a beer, and then he would be back to play three more songs, presumably hits such as “Pyro”, “Sex On Fire” and “Use Somebody”. Well, Mr. Caleb never returned to the stage, and several minutes later, band members Jared and Matt came onto the stage and said that Caleb was “unfit” to pay the rest of the concert, but that they’d be back as soon as they could. In a youtube video, you can tell that Jared is shocked and extremely upset, he tells the fans to burn their records, but to hate Caleb because it’s not the fault of the rest of the band. Articles will later say that Caleb blamed his actions on heat exhaustion and dehydration. But is that the real story?

From a quick look through fans’ comments on the band’s facebook, it is evident that everyone is extremely upset about what happened. Comments on a youtube video of Jared and Matt’s apology to the crowd state that Caleb wasn’t just tired or dehydrated, but in fact too drunk to continue with the show. Jared later tweeted “Dallas, I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am. There are internal sicknesses & problems that have needed to be addressed. No words.” , and after a second show in Texas was cancelled last night, “I love our fans so much. I know you guys aren't stupid. I can't lie. There are problems in our band bigger than not drinking enough Gatorade”. These tweets seem to allude to the fact that perhaps it wasn’t just dehydration after all. To see a band seem to fall apart like this is heartbreaking at the best of times, but it’s made all the worse by the fact that these guys are brothers. If you consider this, Jared basically told the fans to hate his brother. Eek. For their own sake, I hope that whatever is wrong get’s sorted out as quickly as possible. There is no denying the fact that Kings Of Leon are a fantastic band, and I would never stop being a fan of theirs no matter what was to happen, but I also have my concerns.

In March of this year, Lauren managed to convince me that we simply had to see KOL during their South African tour in October. The even had already been postponed once due to the fact that drummer Nathan had injured his shoulder. It wasn’t very difficult to convince me, and soon we were off to buy our tickets. About two months ago, we booked flights to get there, and it seemed like we didn’t have a trouble in the world, in terms of this concert. And now these issues? Excuse me for perhaps overreacting or jumping to conclusions, but what if the same thing happens here? Or what if we get to Joburg only to find that the band aren’t in fact going to perform? No, no, no, we can’t be having that! When one has been looking forward to something for so long, and made such elaborate plans to get attend, a disappointment would be nothing short of devastating. So, Caleb, if alcohol is the problem, get help, pull yourself together, and get back on stage where you belong. You have a wonderfully loyal fanbase who will always support you, but in the long run, do it for yourself, not for the fans. If it really was just heat and a lack of, uh, Gatorade, well then I do apologise, and look forward to seeing all four of you in October.