Paul Benham (gig: 07/10/06) As I'm stood at the bar in The Academy I suddenly realise that this is the third time I've seen the Kooks in the past 6 months. Its true a have a soft spot for the lads from Brighton and I was expecting a big performance from them.
I'd heard stories of illness and wondered whether Luke would be 100% after his recent dose of tonsillitis and laryngitis. They began with the usual, Seaside, and any fears were quickly quashed as they let rip with a awesome performance.
Old classics such as Naïve and Oh La ensured that the crowd remained crazy throughout but it was the new songs which made a huge impact. Each one sounded great and left me with an optimistic feeling that these guys will be far from a flash in the pan.
It was their stage presence that impressed me most though. They bossed the place and Luke in particular looked like a man on a mission, managing to convert my friend into their number one fan by the end of the show.
Their encore epitomised the whole performance and after blasting out You Don't Love Me, their best new offering of the night, we were all entertained out and left to wax lyrical about the performance on the bus home. A professional yet exceptional performance and exactly what the doctor ordered!
