Kings make epic start to UK tour

By Georgie Rogers
6 Music news reporter

Their last two albums have reached number one in the UK album charts

Kings Of Leon began their arena tour with a two-hour set reaching into all four corners of their back catalogue.

The 14-date jaunt began on Monday at the Brighton Centre and continues later in Nottingham.

Plagued by sound issues in Brighton in 2007, drummer Nathan Followill was sure everything would go to plan this year.

He joked: "I broke up with my girlfriend just before I went on stage, I'm sure the sound was horrible, it was probably me crying into my microphone."

I think we're breaking out quite a few old songs we haven't played in about 3 or 4 years which is kind of scary Drummer Nathan Followill

The Tennessee band launched the tour with their biggest lighting and sound show to date, including flashbacks of their childhood played out across the five screens which hovered above the stage.

It opened with Crawl, from their double platinum number one album, Only By The Night.

As for the tracklisting, the Nathan and Caleb Followill decided to bring out some old classics.

Nathan told BBC 6 Music: "No matter which way you look at it, someone's going to leave there without hearing their favourite song, but I think we're breaking out quite a few old songs we haven't played in about 3 or 4 years, which is kind of scary."

Tracks performed from their second album Aha Shake Heartbreak included Taper Jean Girl, Razz, Milk, Slow Night So Long, and Four Kicks.

The set culminated in a four song encore of Knocked Up, Manhattan, Charmer, and Black Thumbnail.