(Mini) Concert: The Kooks

Before seeing The Kooks later that night at the Wonder Ballroom (my favorite venue), they were doing a set at the KINK Bing lounge. I hopped on the MAX and got to the Bing Lounge early to get a good spot. I snagged front row seats for me, my mom, dad, and best friend Jamila.

They did acoustic versions of Down, Around Town, See Me Now, and Bad Habit. It was so great to see the songs I've been listening to for weeks in a stripped down fashion about 3 feet from my face. Down was a particularly interesting one to hear acoustic, they skipped the intro and went right into the "down down digi-digi's". You can watch the videos here: Bad Habit, See Me Now, Around Town. Down, and interview.

They did a meet and greet after their short set, and I showed them a photo I had taken with them the first time they had ever been to Portland (about 8 years ago). Luke kept saying "wow" and "oh my god", it was very funny. I'm assuming he was talking about seeing his younger self. The picture itself is quite bad, and Luke and Hugh are the only current members in the photo. Then he said "So how were the last 8 years then?" in a joking way, to which I replied something along the lines of "waiting for your next album!". He apologized it took so long.

The Kooks circa 2006