Thereís something about seeing a band in their hometown, knowing that they will (theoretically) be sleeping in their own beds that night. The first night of the French Kicks Mercury Lounge residency two weeks ago was packed with a crowd of friends, fans and members of The Walkmen (who they will be hitting the road with in March). Switching instruments, stage positions and initiating a new drummer with the greatest of ease, the band played to an audience who sang along with songs off their previous releases and danced along to the smattering of new songs off their late-April release, Trial of the Century.
By week three of their Wednesday night engagements, the drummer was still on loan from The Joggers and lead singer Nick was still flashing navel as the bottom of his shirt never touched the top of his pants. The set list was dominated by new tracks, but the new was balanced out with the familiar. After the premiere of one track, they launched into a track off One Time Bells that had been played hundreds of times in front of hundreds of people. After touring virtually non-stop after the release of One Time Bells, opening for bands like Hot Hot Heat and IMA Robot, the French Kicks stage show is down. If you want to see a band at the top of their game, playing to their hometown crowd, obviously enjoying new tunes and delivering all their ìhits,î get down to the Mercury Lounge next Wednesday. You have one chance left to catch this band before they are back on the road; donít miss this show.
