There has to be no better feeling for a band than a sold-out audience melting to every riff you play, every beat that is pumped and every word that you say. The sold-out audience at Terminal 5 on Wednesday night were eating out of the headliners, The Kooks' hand all night. It was a fantastic triple-bill featuring rising Chicago band Yawn, UK band Morning Parade making their NYC debut and The Kooks topping the bill. For those that were there from start-to-finish it was a long event, but well worth it. Opening were Yawn, a band many were unfamiliar with but by the end of their set, everyone remembered who they were. The Chicago four piece is a combination of Passion Pit meets Phoenix with heavy sub bass. It is pop-drone and something you can dance to and let loose to at the same time. While the band's stage presence was as if they were the headliners, they took everyone by surprise with their energy and captivated the audience with their inviting sound. After their set, their merch table was packed with spectators looking to talk to the young band and find out more about them. Look out for Yawn, big things will be on the horizon for them.
As more of the crowd packed in, next was Morning Parade. In their New York City debut and playing to a packed audience such as this, one would have guessed they have been in the city before. The way the crowd responded to them was simply something to admire, it is not easy to please a New York crowd, especially on one's maiden voyage, but Morning Parade showed how. With their alternative friendly rock anthems and passionate playing, you could see they were so excited to be playing in the city that never sleeps and to a crowd like this. While their set lasted under an hour, they captured the attention of an entire space like Terminal 5 and had people chatting long after they played on how solid and good they were on stage. Morning Parade have been a massive buzz band back in their native England and with this being their SXSW warm-up show, they are going to be one of the bands everyone talks about post-SXSW.
After two brilliant warm-up acts, at 9:40 it was time for The Kooks to do what they do best - have as much fun on stage as humanly possible. The band, who have three albums under their belt, are still touring behind last years fantastic Junk of the Heart LP. While The Kooks have consistently made solid record after solid record, they have cut their teeth as a live band - no question. The band's songs coupled with the band's energy create nothing short of lightening in a bottle. Singer Luck Pritchard has the swagger of Mick Jagger, only with a curly mop-top, the folks in Maroon 5 may have written "Moves like Jagger," only wish they could move like Pritchard. With a catwalk that lined the perimeter of the stage, Pritchard used that to show off his skills, moves and break down the fourth wall between him and the crowd constantly begging for more. Playing a career spanning set that would have pleased the most devoted fan to the most casual listener, The Kooks simply know how to put on a good show. In the hour and thirty-five minutes they were on stage, The Kooks had Terminal 5 in shambles.
The Kooks return to the New York area in June opening for Foster the People, one surely hopes that the "Pumped Up Kicks" band are ready to be in for a run for their money having a band like them opening.
Morning Parade
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