An Education with the Kaiser Chiefs

Mrs Blog often asks why I never post a gig review after we've been to see one of "her" bands. I don't have the heart to tell her - that in true blogger fashion - I only write about stuff that I like. But even though the Kaiser Chiefs are definitely one of her favourites, having been blown away by the band the on their last LA appearance (2008 at the Fonda - apparently pop-pickers, the only gig that keyboardist Nick Baines hasn't appeared), there's no chance that this gig wasn't going to get a mention...

It's probably safe to say that the recent past has been a little challenging for the Kaiser Chiefs. Their 2011 album "The Future is Medieval" only reached number 10 in the UK album charts and certain critics were keen to write the band-off (for some reason that I've never quite fathomed, there's a small "elite" who have always been keen to rubbish the band). The album ended up being re-packed and relaunched in the States in 2012 as "Start the Revolution Without Me", which not only lead to some confusion but two years later still isn't available here as a digital download. Coupled with the departure of drummer and songwriter Nick Hodgson, many were ready to write the band off. 

Kaiser Chiefs rock the El Rey

But 2014 sees the Kaiser Chiefs back with a vengeance. Ricky Wilson is currently one of the two new coaches on "The Voice UK", along with that loveable Australian pixie, Charlene Kylie Minogue. Meanwhile there have been enough tracks made available (some via the band's SoundCloud page) of the forthcoming album "Education, Education, Education and War" to suggest that with the new album not only revisiting (revitalising?) their musical roots but in the process asking a few pointed questions, the band aren't planning on going anywhere quietly soon...

And so there's a near capacity crowd packed into the El Rey Tuesday night by the time the band take to the stage to Edwin Starr's "War" and launch into "The factory gates" from their as yet unreleased album ("It's released on April 1st", comments Ricky, before slyly adding "but it's not a joke") - it could be a risky strategy - you usually want the crowd on your side from the off, so bands normally open with a hit or two. No worries, the song like the several debuted tonight, flow seamlessly with the band's better know hits in a rip-roaring, high-energy, near 90 minute set... So we get to sing along to the hits (including "Never miss a beat", "Everyday I love you less and less", "Ruby" - the Kaiser's biggest US hit - although being from not around these parts we give a heartier cheer to "I predict a riot"); the band get to gauge the reaction to the new songs ("Bows and arrows", "Ruffians on parade" and "Coming home" really stand-out...) - no worries, as I've hinted - they sound grrr-reat, and judging by the reaction, so think the crowd... 

Ricky Wilson rouses the crowd

You always want your front man to have some charisma (I really wish that Morten Harket had taken note of this) - the Arctic Monkey's Alex Turner gives it the full-bore "Cock of the North" treatment (as anyone who saw his acceptance speech at this year's Brit Awards can testify). Ricky Wilson, on the other hand, is more of your cheeky best mate - impossible not to like and warm to...

“No one wants to hear the fucking new (stuff). Some of you do, but you don’t know the words. So you can’t sing along. So what’s the point in that? I’m not happy – you’re not happy – no one’s happy. So we’ve written a song with a chorus that hasn’t got any words. So there’s no fucking excuse...” 

... And when he's not clambering up scaffolding, he's down in the mosh - with the crowd literally at his beck and call - leading us into a rousing set closer of "Oh my god"... You want charisma? Got it in buckets, this bloke. Indeed, it's impossible not to like the Kaiser Chiefs. They may not be at the pinnacle of the UK's alternative-rock scene, they may well be underrated, but if you want to go and see a band put in a good shift, keep it tight (and new drummer Vijay Mistry looked quite at home behind the skins), stoke the crowd and churn-out a succession of solid numbers - both old and new - you can't really going wrong with a Kaiser Chiefs' gig. 

The band encore with "Cannons" - which has all the makings of another instant off of the new album - before wrapping up proceedings with the aforementioned storming version of "Oh my god"... but not before promising that if we want them back, they'll be back...

Lets not leave it so long this time, OK?

Once again, some great gig shots via Debi Del Grande can be found on the L.A. Record website.