Dylan Kongos

KONGOS
Supporting Act: Badflower
July 16, 2014
Troubadour
West Hollywood, CA

By: Nevra Azerkan

My new favorite band this year is South African alternative rockers, KONGOS. These four brothers hit the music scene with their hit song, “Come With Me Now” from their album, Lunatic, and since then I have been hooked.

The band said that the last time they played in L.A. there were maybe twenty people in the room and it was most likely the other bands and their crew. They were psyched that this was a sold out show and from what I could tell it seemed over-packed.

They jumped into the song, “Hey I Don’t Know” and kept jamming the night away. With the exception of “As We Are” and “Traveling On” they played Lunatic in its entirety. They threw in a few covers including two songs from The Beatles and one from their father, John Kongos. Any band that covers The Beatles and does it well can count me as a fan.

One of the coolest parts about the show was how most of the audience did not have a camera or phone out shooting the band. There were a few keepsake snaps, but other than that everyone was completely captivated by the band. I really enjoyed seeing that. They played off each other so well (like brothers would) and it was so easy to ignore everyone else in the room, but them. These guys were fantastic live and to prove my point I will be seeing them again when they open for King of Leon in October.

Full set list included: “Hey I Don’t Know”, “Sex on the Radio”, “Take Me Back”, “Kids These Days”, “Escape”, “I Don’t Mind”, “Way Down in the Hole” (Tom Waits cover), “I’m Only Joking”, “This Time I Won’t Forget”, “Come Together” (The Beatles cover), “I Want to Know”, “Take It From Me”, “It’s A Good Life”, “Come With Me Now”, “Tokoloshe Man” (John Kongos cover), and “Get Back” (The Beatles cover).