There’s something to be said about a band that can go from living under the shadow of their over-protective, bible thumping father, moving across the country in a purple 1988 Oldsmobile, to selling out arenas world wide. 
Consisting of three brothers and their cousin — lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Caleb Followill, drummer Nathan Followill, bassist Jared Followill, and lead guitarist Matthew Followill — the Kings redefined southern rock by throwing caution to the wind and making a special concoction of raw, bluesy, twangy, southern rock.
The first time I saw the Kings play was in November of 2008, at my absolute favorite Atlanta venue — the Tabernacle.
For those unfamiliar with this glorious venue, it was once a baptist church (hence the name.) The original pipe organ remains on the inside, lining the wall immediately behind the stage. The walls are painted with various golds and reds, and a massive chandelier hangs immediately above the center of the room.
It’s a small place — the “standing room” in front of the stage will hold a couple hundred, and their are two upper balconies stacked one upon the other which provide a much needed place to rest.
Besides the fact the atmosphere alone is utterly stellar, there is one reason the Tabernacle falls No. 1 on my all-time list of venues — every ticket is general admission.
Why is that such a big deal? Because all tickets are equal. Meaning – if you want front row, you got it. The question is how early are you willing to get there to seize the opportunity?
In the case of Kings of Leon, six hours.
Keep in mind, this is before the Kings totally exploded — their newest album “Only by the Night” had just been released, and the whole “Sex on Fire” craze hadn’t quite taken hold of America’s prepubescent girls.
Needless to say, their performance was epic.
Gone are the days of long hair and stubble — these rockers were dressed from head-to-toe in black, leather and attitude.
To top it off, the facility is non-smoking. Did that stop Matthew from lighting up on the stage?
Oh, hell no.
He dropped out of high school … and won a Grammy.
He has two homes — in Los Angeles AND Tennessee.
Matthew Followill smokes wherever he damn well pleases.
For my song of the day, I chose “True Love Way” from the album “Because of the Times” — my favorite King’s song.
Amongst the numerous hits in their four-album discography, I feel it represents a side to the band that is on a totally different wavelength than their newer stuff.
The band as a whole has progressed quite impressively over the years, and the evolution in their distinct “sound” can easily be heard.
Their first album “Youth and Young Manhood” (2003) displays the Kings at their rawest, while their fourth album “Only by the Night” (2008), solidifies the band as “arena rockers.”
“Because of the Times” features the band, in my opinion, at their best — twangy, soft, fast, loud, raw, polished, yelling, exciting …
It’s all there.
(In)formal Word Vomit 