NME Awards Concert Series Cajun Dance Party, 120 Days, The Hold Steady, Kings of Leon

Because of the late admission to Monday night's NME Awards Concert Series, I didn't bring my camera along. Thus, there will be no multimedia with this review. Sorry. Luckily, I brought my trusty pen and paper, so worry not.

Despite some stellar performances, the viewing experience at the Astoria was one of the worst I can remember. Due to the evening's headliner, everybody was trying to get in. Scalpers were selling tickets for 4 times the list price. By the time the Hold Steady rolled around, the Carling had been flowing for almost 2.5 hours and the near capacity venue was heating up. Once KOL came on, not only were you lucky not to get pushed every time somebody left for the bathroom or the bar, you were also serenaded with drunken sing-alongs you didn't pay to hear (in your ear).

But one can't let the viewing experience affect the perception of the music, which on Monday night, was mostly terrific. North London's Cajun Dance Party got things started in front of a minimal crowd. Despite good energy and a commendable performance from their nearly epileptic front man, Daniel Blumberg, the baby-faced band's indie pop was too run of the mill to leave a lasting impression.

120 Days were quite the surprise. The Norweigian foursome's krautrock infused post-punk invoked thoughts of bands ranging from New Order to Kraftwerk to Pink Floyd to Jane's Addiction. At times the sound beamed from Saturn and at other times it drifted from the basement of a grungy punk venue. However, throughout the six song set, the music rollicked along like a motorcyclist on a midnight autobahn ride, and by the time they arrived at act closer "Come Out, Come Down," from their self-titled debut, the growing crowd was grooving along on the back tire.

Who knows what the crowd already knew about The Hold Steady, a Brooklyn via Minneapolis quintet that enjoys slugging it 70's bar rock style. There were some band tees here and there, most notably one that read, "The Hold Steady Almost Killed Me." Playing their last show of their European tour, bearded Craig Finn and company came out and proceeded to blow the doors off with "Stuck Between Stations," "Chips Ahoy," and "Hot Soft Light" all from their heralded 2006 release, Boys and Girls in America. From the opening note, it was immediately apparent that this is a band that loves nothing more than getting onstage. It's less like they are playing a concert and more like they are an assembled crew of extremely vivacious and musically talented best friends playing music for a badass party, with the endearingly erratic Finn telling stories and egging everyone on. For instance, during "Hot Soft Light," he instigated a friendly duel between lead guitarist Tad Kubler and keyboardist Franz Nicolay, constantly swaying his allegiances in order to draw more from each musician. And the band didn't slow down after their blistering start, churning out more sweltering numbers from their recent drop such as the Pabst chugging anthem, "Massive Nights," the enormous vote of confidence, "You Can Make Him Like You," and the quick-witted narration of adolescent mischief, "Stevie Nicks" from 2005's Seperation Sunday. And as The Hold Steady--slapped with grins from ear to ear--closed their set with SS's "Your Little Hoodrat Friend" and the magnificent "Southtown Girls," those newly initiated crowd members looked around at their friends and shook their heads in approval.

Things started getting a little hairy in between the end of THS and the beginning of the Kings of Leon's set. After the Brooklyn band's liquid friendly performance, the audience was really lubed up--most of it chanting "LEE-ON!" Much to the chagrin of some more peaceful onlookers, burly Brits were having no qualms about shoving their way towards the stage. And when the lights dropped and the band's ghastly orchestral intro music came over the loudspeakers, the Astoria foamed at the mouth. As with The Hold Steady, there were immediate revelations with KOL's start. It appears that tours with U2 and Pearl Jam have made an impression, as the quartet came flying out of the gates with a new, heavy-riffed opener, they illustrated that their garage days are gone, and that Because of the Times is going to sound really big. Not only that, but the band's playing has really progressed. On "Taper Jean Girl" and "King of the Rodeo," both from 2005's Aha Shake Heartbreak, lead guitarist Matthew Followill's measly solos of old were replaced by more complex and hard rocking finger work. And contrary to past shows, when it often looked as if they were only playing as much as their talents allowed, lead singer and rhythm guitarist Caleb--donning a sleeveless jean jacket--and his younger brother, bassist Jared, were totally in control of their respective instruments. Meanwhile, older brother Nathan slapped the skins in perfect rhythm while coolly blowing bubbles with his chewing gum. By the time they got to Youth, Young, and Manhood's "Molly's Chamber," with the brilliant lights swirling and the heavy riffs ringing strong and clear, Kings of Leon appeared like a band destined for arena stardom. However, unlike the fun-loving Hold Steady, KOL looked more like they were at work on songs like Heartbreak's "4 Kicks" and Manhood's "California Waiting" and "Spiral Staircase," during all of which Caleb, whose lyrics were muffled by the crowd singing along to every word, screamed backstage for more mic like a focused professional. And like their recent single, “On Call,” these new songs are interesting and diverse. Some are much heavier, some are more spaced out, and one in particular, a big, back porch blues shuffle, is the most Southern tune the band has written to date. All are huge. And when the night came to the end with Heartbreak’s “Slow Night, So Long”--the crowd in total chaos--one could tell that this band is going to be, too.