THE K’S @ CONCORDE 2, BRIGHTON, 3RD MAY 2024
I’m rarely blind-sided by a band, but The K’s have achieved just that. I shall explain: I last saw The K’s at The Prince Albert on 28th September 2021. I think I’d been working at a conference at the AMEX Stadium, and I popped into the Albert for a pint. Someone mentioned that a band was playing upstairs that I might be interested in. So I toddle upstairs, and a little later, The K’s are onstage. They’re pretty good. I enjoy their gig, but I must confess that I don’t think that they’re anything special. I make a note of the name though, with the intention of seeing them again at some unspecified point in the future. From memory, the gig was free, too. I certainly don’t remember paying. Guys, I may owe you some money.
The next thing I know (okay, it’s two and a half years later) is that The K’s are back with an absolutely top album (I Wonder If The World Knows?) and are selling out the Concorde! How has this happened???? In a nutshell, through seemingly endless gigging and writing some excellent tunes, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
The sold-out crowd tonight aren’t just here out of curiosity, they know every word and are enthusiastic to the point of being rabid. Also – what an atmosphere!!! This gig has had an early start; tonight’s support, The Clause, hit the stage at 7.20 pm, and the place was already heaving with the crowd bouncing along to every number as the headliners took to the stage at 8.15 pm; the crowd is largely running on pure adrenalin. The band’s look is essentially football casual (although drummer Nathan Peers is wearing a very cool Sonic Youth T-shirt), and there seem to be quite a few Brighton fans here. There are loud chants of “blue army” anyway.
I’m confused as to why guitarist Ryan Breslin is sitting down. But apparently, he “fucked up” his ankle during the previous show. Vocalist James Boyle tells us that if each of us buys Ryan a pint of Guinness, he’ll be “leaping around in no time”. Sorry, James, but that really isn’t going to happen! However, bassist Dexter Baker is offered a beer from the audience. He seems to be trying to be abstemious but then says, “fuck it! Give it here!!!” He’s only joking, though.
Lee Sullivan is the live keyboard player. Initially, his keyboards are largely inaudible. They do get louder, though. He’s certainly no slouch. He plays a classical-sounding interlude while James Boyle thanks the audience for getting the band where they are. In truth, James is being overly modest. The band have got themselves where they are. It’s nice that he acknowledges the fans, though. This speech precedes Throw It All Away, which details how it could have all gone wrong. Happily for us and the band, it didn’t.
The band’s lead vocals and harmonies are utterly superb. James Boyle’s voice is strong but not strident. Ryan Breslin’s playing is excellent throughout, especially on Lights Go Down, which features a searing solo. In terms of the songs, the band aren’t doing anything new; their template is very clearly mid-’90s indie rock, particularly Oasis (although the lyrics are somewhat better than Noel’s) and Cast, but with a slightly more modern dash of Arctic Monkeys thrown in. However, when the songs are so good, their influences don’t matter.
Towards the end of the set, Ryan sinks a pint of Guinness in one. He must have some Irish blood. The main set ends at 9.15, but the band are only gone for a while. James and Ryan return for Valley One, which they perform on their own. This time, Ryan is playing keyboards. It would appear that he is the band’s musical genius. They go off again, but very quickly, the whole band return for Hometown (with a verse of Ewan MacColl’s Dirty Old Town to begin) and first single, Sarajevo. This has been a superb gig, and I can’t recommend this band or their album (not a duff track on it) highly enough. They play the Isle Of Wight Festival in June and Camp Bestival on 28th July. Get along and see them!
WORDS: MARK KELLY, Photos: CRIS WATKINS
The K’s + The Clause Gallery
