The Kills and L.A. Witch at the Ogden Theatre in Denver, CO on 5/27/16

I first discovered Alison Mosshart through Jack White's side project The Dead Weather.  She fronted the band by jolting around the stage making the audience entranced with her every move.  I was excited to see her perform with her main band.

The Kills

The Kills formed sixteen years ago in Europe when Alison Mosshart, a punk rocker from Florida, met Jamie Hince, a British rocker, while touring in separate bands. The two started a low-fi rock blues duo backed by a drum machine.  Five albums later, they have definitely perfected their sound.

Jamie Hince had a difficult time during the last few years.  He slammed a car door on his left hand resulting in numerous surgeries.  Hince lost use of one of his fingers forcing him to relearn the guitar.  He also had a very public separation with his super model wife Kate Moss (that's why I don't date super models).  Mosshart has recently moved to Nashville, Tennessee to create visual arts and possible be closer to a Mr. Jack White III.

The Kills photos by the Rock and Roll Princess

Friday night, the duo took the stage with  intensity and high energy.  Alison Mosshart appeared in tight Jim Morrison type leather pants with bleach blonde hair.  Jamie Hince was dressed as a proper Englishmen in a sweater and tie.  They started with No Wow from 2005 with it's building rhythm and dark sexual lyrics.  The rest of the set was heavy on new material from their upcoming album Ash & Ice.  New songs Doing It to Death and Siberian Nights seem to reflect Hince's recent struggles.  There was a healthy mix of older material sprinkled in to the delight of their die hard fans.

The Kills turning up the heat

Alison Mosshart danced, moving her hips, whipping her hair around all while singing with extreme sexuality.  Other female singers rely on skimpy outfits and outrages acts while Mosshart simply just performs oozing sex.  Her performance of the new song Hard Habit to Break made the temperature at the Ogden Theatre instantly rise.  They ended with Sour Cherry from 2008's Album Midnight Boom.  Mosshart repeated the chorus, "I am only the sour cherry on the fruit stand."  I am pretty sure the subject was not really produce related.

L.A. Witch

L.A. Witch was the opening band. The black lipstick trio played a vampire version of surf rock. Lead singer Sade Sanchez played an impressive guitar that was bigger than her.  Bass player Irita Pai dressed all in black with torn stockings providing a large dose of goth attitude.  Drummer Ellie English's crashing beats forced each song to break free of it's heavy reverb darkness. They ended their set by simply packing their instruments.  No good byes.  No waves to the crowd.  No thank you Denver.  It was odd.  But I was amused by their punk rock spirit.

See you at the next show.  I will be the one not wearing leather pants.