The Observatory, nestled in the heart of Orange County, hosted a noteworthy night of music from English-American rock duo, The Kills. This is important because it’s where The Kills – who haven’t toured the States since 2022 – chose to open their God Games Tour.
The show began with The Paranoyds from Los Angeles; a band is touring with The Kills through March. The girl-fronted group has been friends since high school, and they found their love for making music and being with each other a perfect fit for a band.
I’m not sure how to fully explain their sound other than a bit of psycho pop with ‘80s synth. Whatever genre you land on, The Paranoyds were entertaining and stylistically fit right in as an opener for The Kills.
As the crowd awaited Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince, the mood in the air was calm. I could hear diehard fans talking about band, some of the details of the time off, holding items they hoped to get autographed. It was obvious their fanbase is truly dedicated. It is safe to say that the duo delivered a performance that left them fully satisfied and with a happy heart.
Mosshart’s intense stage presence and Hince’s at-times haunting guitar set the tone for the night. The pair, touring behind their newly released album “God Games,” immersed their fans in a sonic experience that went beyond mere song-playing. Their chemistry was on full display, fueled by the momentum of having been out of the limelight for a couple of years.
The setlist showcased the evolution of The Kills – of course with songs everyone was familiar with, but also featured every song from their latest release (apart from “Kingdom Come,” which they omitted from their setlist). Longtime fans reveled in the new songs, of which most were played live for the first time. The raw energy of the performance highlighted the band’s growth, without sacrificing their signature sound.
A sparkly and sheer curtain hung behind the stage and lights were spread throughout the stage for backlighting. A minimalistic design that was elegant and moody compared to what we usually see at The Observatory. Stark lighting and shadows bounced off the walls, providing a fitting backdrop for the sonic masterpiece put on by The Kills.
After their second stretch of songs from “God Games,” the energy rose when they played “Doing it to Death,” from their 2016 album, “Ash and Ice.” They then closed with the anthematic “Future Starts Now” from 2011’s “Blood Pressures.”
Believe it or not, after two separate stretches of new songs, they bust out two more – “Blank” and “Better Days” – then capped the night with two classics, “Sour Cherry” and “Fried My Little Brains.” The rhythm, and Mosshart’s vocals, and the raw emotion she exhibited onstage created a sonic vortex that sucked the audience into her realm. They owned us.
At the conclusion of “Fried My Little Brains” was a final and quick “good night.” As they exited the stage, it was obvious fans were not ready for it to end. The Kills had drawn all of us into a visceral realm where music was a living, breathing entity. However, at this point all that was left were echoed words exclaiming how happy we were to see The Kills back onstage after so long.
This was not just a concert; it was the opening night of the God Games Tour – a powerful experience that showcased the soul of their brand of music.
