The Kills - Live at Oxford Zodiac

The Kills – Oxford Zodiac, 31/10/05

Chris George

In some ways, a Kills gig is the auditory equivalent of being slapped about during one of the best orgasms of your life: it’s vicious but seductive, and you’re loving every second of it.

They’re similar to Yeah Yeah Yeahs: scrappy, stripped down (V V on vocals, “Hotel” on guitar, accompanied by a drum machine), raw and damn sexy; in our current bubble of endless Smiths imitators, The Kills are refreshing and deliciously grimy.

They take to the stage with an instantly alluring presence of genuine appreciation for the audience and “fuck you” cool. Opening with the brutally taut “Now Wow”, their songs pack a tense punch. They contort and snarl their way through their set, bringing a sleazy charisma to their songs that no speakers ever could.

Halfway through – quel drama – the drum machine blows (a testament to the onstage chemistry), forcing them offstage for about 15 minutes. It destroys the atmosphere for a while but once they’re back on, they don’t seem even slightly phased and the audience still lap it up.

The Kills are a fantastic live band, so pray the drum machine doesn’t get “stage fright”, (as Hotel put it) and you’ll be in for a great ride.

7/10