Words by Audra Tracy | Photos by Joe Papeo
New York City — If you want an instant orgasm without all the small talk, go see The Kills live. No male, female, plant, nor inanimate object can resist the wild charms of the loud, salacious rock n roll duo spearheaded by Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart. By the time they were through with Terminal 5 on Friday, everyone inside was ready to roll over and light a cigarette.
After opening acts The Entrance Band and Cold Cave warmed the mid-sized ballroom, the sold- out venue was beaming with anticipation. At last, when the house lights dimmed a final time, tiny bulbs radiated from The Kills’ only stage accent – a towering black and white leopard print curtain. Coming out swinging, the band made a powerful entrance with the title track off their 2005 record No Wow.
www.thekills.tv
Besides the addition of three back-up singers for ‘DNA’ and ‘Satellite’ off their new LP Blood Pressures, it was just Mosshart, Hince and a drum machine that dropped bomb after bomb. Whether they froze Terminal 5 with the heart-stopping ‘U.R.A. Fever’ or romanced NYC with the delicate ‘Baby Says’, The Kills have a song to suit all types of evil lovers.
Thrashing about the stage, seducing the mic, and brushing her jet black hair from her eyes, Mosshart has a sexual prowess that has earned her the nickname ‘Baby Ruthless’. It’s no wonder Jack White chose her to front The Dead Weather – she is his female counterpart. Onstage, both project a raw intensity like they are truly possessed by the sinister sounds they create.
While seemingly more reserved than his co-conspirator, Jamie Hince has a twitch that makes you think he might be a little mad himself. Wielding his guitar like a loaded machine gun, Hince fired away his signature minimalist riffs like ‘You Don’t Own the Road’ and the set closing ‘Fried My Little Brains.’
Smiling wide, the duo bowed and walked off-stage, arm in arm, like it was just a regular night for them. That’s what makes The Kills so badass – they can make an impatient NYC audience wait until 11PM, play for just an hour, and still completely blow what’s left of your right mind.
www.thekills.tv
TheWaster.com | New York City
02.29.12
