Review + Photos + Setlist: Kings of Leon Remains Poop-Free in St. Louis, Saturday, September 25

• everyone should read RUTHs comment. KOL haven't been the go-crazy-act since Aha Shake... because they don't have to prove they are rock stars to anyone anymore... They are also not around 21 anymore... wanna see them when they went crazy? youtube: Trani Live (Bonnaroo) from like 2004-5. Thats proving yourself. Now they are just better musicians, far more solid, and therefore they stand up and kill it. American Idol, haha, Ruth you rock...

• @ Paul, bummer. I was off center-house left, being hit by the side hang of speakers and I thought KOL sounded great contrasted to the Whigs (who I think are outstanding!). I never made it to the lawn, but from where I sat it sounded great, much better than I expected. However, as I wasn't getting hit by any of the sound coming off the stage, I did notice the mixer was indeed mixing in stereo (as noticed by hardly any lead gtr coming from our speakers). Maybe that's why it sounded bad?

• Did anyone else on the lawn notice the sound was horrible? I have never been to a show where you can hear the people around you talking (not shouting). It's pretty normal to have crappy sound on the lawn for the opening acts, but when KOL took the stage it was like they forgot to turn on the lawn speakers. I was there to hear the band, not the drunk idiots around us sing off key.

• I think it's amazing that a Rams crowd even recognized the band -- and the band's reaction to the sparse booing suggested they thought so too.

• Having seen them at several fests and the Pageant, their performance on Sat. night was not too off-base from their usual "all business" approach. They don't engage the audience with banter or showy rock 'n' roll moves, but I never felt they had to. However, they did slow down the tempo on a couple of songs--the result of a long, long tour or complacency? I'll reserve judgment until they recharge their batteries for the next tour. But Saturday night's show was a contrast from their date nearly two years ago at the Pageant, where (for the first time in my KOL experience) they were playing with a different kind of intensity and even a few smiles. A fire lit by finally achieving a solid level of success in the US? Whatever the reason, that side of the band is proving to be the exception rather than the rule. Either way, I look forward to what they;ll bring to the stage in the future.

• Jeff, good point. I think I went to the show with unrealistic expectations based on previous events and the fact that they were on tour for their most recent album. I may have missed my opportunity to hear a show mostly comprised of their older stuff.. I was also at the Rams game (as a redskins fan). The booing went on for just a few seconds, but Caleb handled it pretty well I think. He was laughing a bit with a "wow, I wasn't expecting that crowd reaction" look on his face. No big deal but it was kind of funny..

• who heard the booing at the rams game and how long did it last and was it really noticeable? leave it to lame ram fans to showcase st louis' redneck side! they played a free concert for the people that dealt with the pigeon shit.???? i left that show feeling so so but they are a talented group of boys just wish they would not stick to tour set lists

• To Sam: I'm not sure I understand what you mean by the setlist being "tailored towards those that frequent top-20 count-downs on hit music radio stations and have only heard Only By The Night." KOL played 19 songs and the set broke down as follows: Youth and Young Manhood - 2 Aha Shake Heartbreak - 2 Because Of The Times - 5 Only By The Night - 7 Come Around Sundown - 3 Did they play more songs from Only By The Night than any other album? Sure, but the show was ostensibly part of the Only By The Night tour. This was show that was tacked onto the end of the tour, played outside in the cold and in front of a crowd the band wasn't sure was going to be welcoming them back with open arms. Not sure why anyone would expect them to go off-book and play Aha Shake Heartbreak in its entirety or some other such thing.

• That was the most disappointing show I've been to in years. I am not an overly critical concert-goer, but the set-list they chose was tailored towards those that frequent top-20 count-downs on hit music radio stations and have only heard Only By the Night. I left after the second song during the encore, and it wasn't because of the attitude or the "lack of energy" of the band, it was because of the aweful mix of songs they chose to play. I would've been happy with 3 songs played from their first album, but apparently that would've been asking too much. I wish I would've recorded that show so that I had something to fall asleep to at night. That set-list would've been perfect for a middle school dance for kids to slow dance to, but the worst for anyone who enjoys rocking during a concert. I still love this band's first 3 albums and believe that they are great song writers, but the show in St. Louis was inspiration lacking and did not convince me that I should see them live again..

• That was the most disappointing show I've been to in years. I am not an overly critical concert-goer, but the set-list they chose was tailored towards those that frequent top-20 count-downs on hit music radio stations and have only heard Only By the Night. I left after the second song during the encore, and it wasn't because of the attitude or the "lack of energy" of the band, it was because of the aweful mix of songs they chose to play. I would've been happy with 3 songs played from their first album, but apparently that would've been asking too much. I wish I would've recorded that show so that I had something to fall asleep to at night. That set-list would've been perfect for a middle school dance for kids to slow dance to, but the worst for anyone who enjoys rocking during a concert. I still love this band's first 3 albums and believe that they are great song writers, but the show in St. Louis was inspiration lacking and did not convince me that I should see them live again..

• The Whigs stole the show. By far worth the trip back to see their performance.

• Ruth, this must have been Ryan�s first time seeing KOL live (the past review�s were written my Annie and Katie). Had he seen them before, or any of their concert footage, he would have known that Caleb is the only member of the band to speak to the audience and that the other members stay in their place and get on with their work. I thought Caleb adequately addressed the aborted concert from July and sounded genuine. As a long time KOL fan, I thought the set list was fine. Yes, I hate the fact they do pretty much play the same songs at each show and there isn�t that much �spontaneity.� I went with that in mind and enjoy what they did, and that is play the music pretty close to how it is originally recorded. They sounded good and the people around me were enjoying the show just as much as I did. The new songs performed were pretty good as well! Looking forward to the new album coming out.

• FYI Caleb & Co. seemed pretty shocked when they got booed at the Rams game today. Pretty funny.

• @ruth i know the personality traits of the band members and this was not that... they seemed tired and "done".

• First time seeing, KOL. Terrible. The tempo made me think I was back in 8th grade doing the whole stretched-out-arms, butt-out slow dance move. Boo! It seemed like the last place KOL wanted to be was in Missouri.

• @J_Boyd: The setlist was fixed earlier -- thanks for the heads up.

• For the record, reviews of the last few times KOL was in St. Louis: September 30, 2009: http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/atoz/2009/10/show_review_photos_setlist_kings_of_leon_white_lies_scottrade_center_st_louis_2009_wednesday_september_30_only_night_use_somebody_pageant.php Seems like they were a bit more active. November 3, 2008: http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/atoz/2008/11/review_setlist_kings_of_leon_pageant_st_louis_november_3_2008.php "All business."

• Correction: The first song of the encore was not True Love Way, it was Knocked Up.

• I was going to ask of people who have seen KOL before if they were particularly emotive when they play. The Strokes reference in the article is pretty right on. I've seen the Strokes a handful of times and Julian Casablancas once. They give you the tunes and not a lot of chit chat. If KOL is the same way, I don't know why anyone should have expected anything more last night. A shout to the Whigs as well. I've seen them a couple of times and really enjoy their stuff. Had never heard of the Features, but they played a pretty decent show too.

• You Americans just don't get it. Nathan has always blown bubbles whilst playing. Caleb never speaks much. Jared is always quiet looking. Matthew plays that way. Caleb's signature hand wave is an open and closing of the fingers - not a "shoo". If you want a showy show, watch American Idol. If you want the real deal, watch KoL. And how in the name of anything can you mix up True Love Way and Knocked Up??? Seriously?? WTF.

• I didn't take Caleb's hand motions as him trying to "shoo" the crowd away. It seemed to me like he was waving. This was my first time seeing them. I picked up tix after hearing they were coming back. I thought the show was solid, but not spectacular. That said, I didn't feel like they mailed it in. I guess it could have been lip service, but every comment was about how good the crowd was and how appreciative the band was for being welcomed back so warmly.

• yeah, nathan had ice on his shoulder, forgot abut that. another thing...caleb made those motions for the crowd to leave, like 'shoo' two times. that kinda put me off.

• caleb was the most animated of the night and he even seemed like he could have left early and called it a night. jared looked bored, matthew made jared seem quiet! nathan's hurt and looked miserable. i am sure touring like that all summer takes it toll but considering why they were here and on the last night of the tour i expected they would be way into it and give us something special not the exact same setlist from two night before in texas. literally the same set list. a band this good with a catalog filled with great tunes should dip into it. jack white said set lists are dangerous and predictable. i agree and think tours with the same set list all summer even worse. but because they are so good i still enjoyed it and will see them again.

• duh, i mean it wasn't true love way, was most defnitely knocked up. can't mis identify that loud lead guitar on knocked up!

• agree with anonymous, was true love way. review pretty much dead on. you could tell they were going thru the motions, but it was a good enough show anyway. coming back for free was the right thing to do, and they did it.

• if you are going to write so critically about last night, maybe you should get the song titles right.

• it was not true love way... knocked up.

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