RL – Welcome to the first ‘PR’ (Penny//Rick) review of an Edmonton concert. 10,000 were in attendance to see the return of the Kings (Kings of Leon with The Sheepdogs). The Sheepdogs would play for 40 minutes to a clean sounding Rexall Place; a startling surprise when it comes to opening acts (they’re usually drowned out by the lack of bodies to absorb the sound). As for KOL, it was one of the best ‘sounding’ shows at Rexall Place (thanks again to the people behind the soundboard). Nothing was mentioned about Caleb’s drinking problem and forgiveness was not asked for any tour cancellations. It was just wall-to-wall music with a grateful heart to the love from the crowd. The brothers and cousin did look at each other, but Caleb was left by himself on stage in the end. The sober lead singer sounded ‘on fire’ but mentioned the same things when he was last here in August, 2009 (he felt a little under the weather, but once he heard the crowd, it lifted him up). Do I dare say that the KOL show was just as good, or even better…man, than the PJ show?

KOL took the stage at 8:48pm and played 20 songs (3 song encore).

PQ – Oh dear, dear Rick Lee, you forgot one GLARING aspect of the KOL show.

The lights.

The lights.

The lights.

 
If you were at Rexall that night, then you know precisely what I’m talking about. You’re probably still seeing spots. One second, you’re grooving along to the creamy croon of Caleb Followill, the next your precious retinas are being assaulted, invaded, violated by frightfully glaring beams of light. 

I don’t believe anyone bought a ticket to this show hoping you’d kick in a solar eclipse, Followill clan! I thought the album was called “Come Around Sundown“, not “Rise and Shine, Armageddon is Five Feet Away From Your Eyeballs”. Whoever decided to take a dozen one-trillion candlelight power floodlights are point them directly at the crowd at stage level, is one of two things. Sick, or a major shareholder of Lenscrafters. Kings, if you wanted us to shut our eyes and take in your angelic sounds,you should have just asked. No need to bring in the torture tactics. We were putty in your hands, we would’ve made chicken noises if you’d requested it.

Once you popped a pair of sunglasses on, however, the show was a thing of beauty. Here’s hoping my optometrist will have nothing to yell at me about at next Thursday’s appointment.

- Penny Q.

The Rickster (wondering how he got free food at the PC Alberta Leadership in the Expo Centre afterwards).