The Kooks at Brixton Academy

The Kooks at Brixton Academy | Live review

18^th February 2022

18 February 2022

Kicking off Thursday night at Brixton Academy in the first of a three-night residency there, Brighton-based indie rock band The Kooks captivated fans with their live music.

The night began with a bang, as The Kooks took to the stage with one of their most popular songs off the Inside In/Inside Out album – Seaside sent the whole venue into a roar of excitement and energy that would set the mood for the entire performance. Following the opening number, the hits just kept on coming. The ever-so energetic band played song after song from the debut record, which was released as their first studio album in 2006, keeping old and new fans completely enthralled by the nostalgic feel from each tune.

With the impending release of their first album since 2018, Ten Tracks to Echo in the Dark (which is set to release on 22^nd July), the band performed one of their newest songs, Connections, which left the audience entranced by their developed, but still the same “Kooks” sound.

The room felt like a party for the duration of the gig, even when the band returned to perform their encore set of Matchbox, No Pressure and (one of their most popular songs ever) Naive. The room remained as energetic and full of life as it had at the start.

With their performance, The Kooks proved that they still have the ability to rock the house down, even after 16 years. The sound is still the same as it was in 2006, and they have managed to remain a staple in indie rock music to this day.

Without a doubt, this was a performance that nobody in the crowd is going to forget for a very long time, and though they may have a slightly new sound with their upcoming album, they will undoubtedly remain unforgettable.

★★★★★

Kirst Hubbard
Photos: Nick Bennett

For further information and future events visit The Kooks’s website here.