The Kills Return Better Than Ever

Alison and Jamie, better known as The Kills, are back with a new album and tour after a six-year hiatus, briefly interrupted by three concerts in 2022. They made their return last Saturday night in Santa Ana, California, to start a tour consisting of 30 confirmed dates in the US and 10 in Europe. “God Games”, their sixth album, continues the journey of the duo formed in 2001.

The night at The Observatory began with two well-known classics to their fans, “Kissy Kissy” and “U.R.A Fever”, setting the stage for tracks from the “God Games” album. The unique chemistry of The Kills, a balance between “VV” Mosshart’s extroversion and “Hotel” Hince’s introspection, remains vibrant after 23 years, showcasing a distinctive evolution.

After performing live for the first time the first part of “God Games”, including singles “New York” and “LA Hex”, The Kills went through their career with highlights like “No Wow”, “Tape Song”, and “Baby Says”. Hince, despite playing without the use of his middle finger due to an accident requiring tendon transplantation, demonstrated masterful skill, reminiscent of the adaptability of legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.

Following the performance of the second part of “God Games”, VV and Hotel concluded with the sound of electric pedals and drum machines from earlier works: “Doing It To Death”, “Future Starts Slow”, and “Sour Cherry”. “It’s been a long time since we’ve done this,” Hince acknowledged as he returned to the stage for the night’s encore. With “Sour Cherry” and “Fried My Little Brains”, singles from their early years, The Kills closed the first night of a tour that brings back to the stage two veterans of the so-called rock resurrection era.