The Kills in concert at La Gaîté Lyrique: we were there, we tell you all about it

Deeply rocking and invigorating! The Kills' exclusive Paris set on Friday, November 3, 2023, as part of the Arte Concert Festival, really shook up the Gaîté Lyrique venue! Here's a look back at the evening, which also featured stage beast Jehnny Beth and British-Canadian post-punk band Shelf Lives.

For its 2023 edition, the Arte Concert Festival has pulled out all the stops by inviting The Kills, just one week after the release of their new opus,"God Games". With a European tour still to come, The Kills performed an exclusive preview in Paris this Friday, November 3, at a free, intimate concert at the Gaîté Lyrique. Needless to say, tickets for this invitation-only event were snapped up in minutes. As a result, the crowd at the Gaîté Lyrique on Friday evening was packed and eager to see the American-British duo live again in the capital. As a reminder, The Kills ' last show in a Parisian indoor venue dates back to 2016. It was at theOlympia. Then, Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince - the two masterminds behind this indie rock band - had made their return to the open air at festivals, at Rock en Seine in 2017 and then at Solidays in 2018.

Since then, The Kills have been keeping a low profile. But that was to better prepare their comeback! A successful return, then, for the duo, as close friends as ever, with a seductive album following on from"Ash And Ice", but also on stage, with a supercharged Parisian concert honoring some of their best hits, and presenting live no less than 6 new tracks taken from"God Games".

But before catching up with the band on their new opus, audiences at the Gaîté Lyrique were able to warm up with electro-punk outfit Shelf Lives, during a powerful set to be discovered in the immersive venue, followed by the ultra-peppy show of Frenchwoman Jehnny Beth.

Surrounded by two musicians (on bass and machines), the artist - who made her name as part of the duo John & Jehn, then as singer with the Anglo-Saxon band Savages - delivered an ultra-dynamic set blending rock and electro. Known for her invigorating performances, this concert at La Gaîté Lyrique was no exception. With her hair slicked back and wearing a bra, Jehnny Beth took to the stage like few others, confirming her status as a live performer.

During her 45-minute set, the artist didn't hesitate to meet the audience, mingling with them or being carried at arm's length by a few fans while continuing to sing. A feat that once again demonstrates Jehnny Beth 's appetite for the stage!

Just before 10.30pm, The Kills ' long-awaited show kicks off. The pair burst onto the small, rectangular central stage, specially set up for theArte Concert Festival, to thunderous applause. Jamie quickly grabs his favorite instrument, a guitar, whileAlison - with her platinum-blonde mane - positions herself behind her microphone stand to perform two new songs: " Wasterpiece " and the excellent " New York ", already an undeniable hit.

Hits are exactly what The Kills will be offering us over the course of their 1 hour 15 minute set. From the powerful " U.R.A. Fever " to the incredible " Doing It to Death ", not forgetting the catchy " Tape Song ", the sublime " Black Balloon " or the rhythmic " Sour Chery "... The Kills ' discography is packed with sonic nuggets that honor garage rock and lo-fi, and that the band - and their fans - can't get enough of. Quite the contrary, in fact. Just take a listen to the band's new tracks that evening, such as " 103", " LA Hex " and " Better Days ".

On stage, the two artists and friends - whose two voices are in perfect symbiosis - are as close as ever, exchanging glances, placing Alison's hand tenderly on Jamie's cheek and even embracing at the end of the set... It's clear that Alison and Jamie can count on each other, even when the sample isn't playing.

In the end, after all these years, The Kills could have been a bit boring, both on record and on stage. But it has to be said that the duo still know how to do it, and are truly one of those bands with an undeniable imprint. With their passion intact, their garage rock as effective as ever and their infectious energy, Alison and Jamie have achieved the feat of still thrilling us, 20 years after their debut!

You can (re)discover The Kills live on the Arte Concert website, as well as on France Inter and franceinter.fr this Saturday, November 4 at 8pm. You can also find Jehnny Beth's live here and Shelf Lives' live here.