Kaiser Chiefs @ Joseph's Well
By Cathy Simpson
Morrissey once said 'We hate it when our friends become successful'. I think he would reconsider that opinion if he were at Joseph's Well tonight. The Kaiser Chiefs are standing on Success's doorstep, and thanks to frankly the catchiest pop record this year in 'Oh my God', that door is wide open - and their friends love it.
With excellent support from Chikinki who combine youth, good looks, talent, confidence and bloody good electronica (not to mention the cockiest drumpad soloing you ever will see), the Kaiser Chiefs take to the stage already kings of this town but more than ready to prove exactly why they deserve it.
Using a deadly combination of wide eyes, born-to-be-a-dancer moves, tearing vocals and peculiar percussion cameos, frontman Ricky easily holds the audience in his hand. The Kaiser's flair for putting build-up-to-screaming climaxes in their songs (they're excellent at it, look no further than 'Oh my God') makes them irresistible live. Their sound is hugely Britpop inspired with tones of XTC, Roxy Music, Costello and Bowie, a combination that has earned them the notice of the NME, Steve Lamacq, MTV2 and (music and lifestyle oracle) Jonathon Ross.
Tonight it feels like Leeds is letting the Kaiser Chiefs out on their own into the big, wide cd:uk world, like a proud parent. When they come back again things may be very different indeed - we know it, they know it, and we're all bloody excited about it. In a celebration of moshing, dancing, singing, snogging and crowd surfing, tonight the Kaiser Chiefs show they're ready for the big time - and we love them for it. Success has just offered them a nice cup of tea in the lounge.
