Words by Audra Tracy | Photos by Michel Dussack
The last time that The Kills put out a new album, the world was a different place. Jamie Hince was about to marry supermodel Kate Moss, and Alison Mosshart was still a brunette. It was 2011, and Hince & Mosshart unleashed a rock n roll beast when they released their fourth record, Blood Pressures.
Now five years later, Jamie and Kate have split, Alison has gone platinum blonde, and fans everywhere have been starving for new material from the duo. In June, The Kills finally resurfaced from the studio, dropping the ever-formidable Ash & Ice. And at last, on Friday night, they took over Terminal 5 to give New Yorkers a taste of the new tunes in all their reverb-soaked glory.
Opening act L.A. Witch warmed up the room before The Kills emerged, ready to let loose. Not surprisingly, Ash & Ice was the star of the show, with eight songs from the new album filling their smoldering set. “Impossible Tracks”, “Doing it to Death”, and “Echo Home” were true highlights, showcasing another step in the evolution of the band’s razor sharp sound.
The duo’s on-stage chemistry has always been so strong, so chill-inducing, that you could forgive them for performing live with the assistance of pre-recorded drum tracks in the past. But tonight, slow burners like “Baby Says” and “Pot & Pans” enjoyed some room to experiment, all thanks to a few extra humans playing along in the shadows.
One thing was clear at T5 – The Kills should definitely keep this new backing band around. Sure, minimalism was always part of the pair’s charm, but you just can’t jam with a drum machine.
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9.25.16
