Kings of Leon - Youth and Young Manhood

Red Morning Light
Happy Alone
Wasted Time
Joe's Head
Trani
California Waiting
Spiral Staircase
Molly's Chambers
Genius
Dusty
Holy Roller Novocaine

While I can't say that I had the best time ever at Bonnaroo 2004 (a 15-hour all night drive, 10 hours in traffic, mile-plus hikes back and forth from tent to stage, and 90+ Tennessee summer heat will do that), I saw some great music, and the act I was most looking forward to seeing was Kings of Leon. Sure, there was The Dead and Steve Winwood and Wilco and Willie Nelson, and I love all those acts, but they're old and established. I was really looking forward to seeing this beast that I had heard on record come out on stage and unleash their youthful rock and roll fury. They did not disappoint. "Trani" built to the same epic crash, but climbed twice as high and fell twice as hard, and "California Waiting" was an air-guitarists dream come true. Though the Followill boys looked like scared little kids up on that big, huge stage, they rocked like they belonged there with all those other acts.  I spent most of my weekend at Bonnaroo with a monster headache and festival sweat in my shorts, but for about 45 minutes on Saturday, I forgot my misery and remembered why I had come.

It's a little strange to see that this band that I first saw as teenagers is now doing summer ampitheater tours and opening for Pearl Jam, and while KoL's new material is pretty decent, I miss the guys that were just bangin' around in their garage.  Kings of Leon won a Grammy last year, but as usual, the Academy was a little behind, as Youth and Young Manhood and Aha Shake Heartbreak are, in my opinion, far more deserving of praise than the generic FM-ready rock the Followills are churning out these days.  Maybe one day they'll rediscover that young punk fury, but for now, at least there are records.  Yes, thank God for records....