The Kooks add British charm to Rams Head

This past Saturday, British rock band The Kooks skipped over the pond to visit Rams Head, Live! at the Power Plant in Baltimore. The band originated in Brighton, East Sussex in 2004 and has produced chart-topping songs on and off since then. After considerable inactivity, The Kooks released their newest album, Listen, in its entirety just last month.

Rams Head was buzzing with impatience for the headliners as the opening act, Halsey, continued to flounce across the stage in her plaid, school girl skirt while repeatedly sharing that it was her first time on tour.

Impatience turned to anticipation when the openers exited the stage and the banner dropped, as if answering the rowdy cheers of the largely college-based crowd. When Kooks lead singer Luke Pritchard sauntered on stage and grabbed his guitar, the vibe changed significantly. Rams Head was bathed in a pink glow as listeners bobbed at the knees to the popular song “Ooh La.” The floor was comfortably full, and the balconies were stacked with attentive fans.

The band plowed through songs the audience was familiar with while also making sure to play songs from each of their four albums. The crowd grew more enthusiastic with each performance, chanting “Jackie Big Tits” between songs and provoking the band until they played the hit from the 2006 album Inside In/Inside Out. Vocalist Luke Pritchard continued to perform crowd favorites, and when the band performed “Seaside” the mood was appropriately mellowed through the use of soft blue lighting.

The Kooks kept the energy high, but the emotional impact of their music fluctuated. Melancholic tunes like “Shine On” reminded the young crowd of their pre-teen years and breakups, while groove anthems like “Junk of the Heart” reminded of a day spent in the sun. The audience members’ head-nodding and hip-swaying responded zealously to every change in a song’s tempo, and arms waved in sync as if everyone had shared the same experiences relating to the song being played.

The Kooks left humble and appreciative Baltimore to continue their tour through Japan and Europe. The tour will end in February 2015. Baltimore will surely be happy to host the U.K.-based band again after being reminded of a decade of spunky, feel-good music that will continue to be played in coffee shops and dorm rooms for years to come.