Rule Number One of concert going: Never listen to a Wolf Parade live bootleg before attending any show. It can only lead to disappointment. Having said that, I was not disappointed at the show Cold War Kids put on at the Enmore Theatre on Monday night. Far from it, it was a thoroughly enjoyable night. A night of fun and full of fiery passion. This band really brings it live and they always give it their all. It was however a slow start. "Pregnant" was an odd choice for the opener. One of their lesser tracks, it was played in near darkness and was a lacklustre way to start. Speaking of lighting, it was a poorly lit show, with much of the band cloaked in darkness through out the night. Thankfully, the music more then made up for it. The opening piano line of "We Used To Vacation" had every one jumping and smiling and a good night was assured for every one there.

Cold War Kids are releasing their second album "Loyalty To Loyalty" in September, so it was good to hear a few tasters from that upcoming album. A couple I thought were just OK, but I really loved "Something Is Not Right With Me", the song circulating through the blogs, "Welcome To The Occupation" and especially "Every Valley Is Not A Lake". These three numbers augur well for the new album. Of the older numbers "Robbers" was a standout, as was "Passing The Hat". But naturally the best was saved for last. "Hang Me Up To Dry" was a song born to be a live anthem, whilst "Hospital Beds" is purely and simply a great, great song. The venue was in full roar on these two showstoppers. The encore was special too. The band pulled out "Quiet, Please!", a song from their very first EP. I loved its epic nature. They then closed with "Saint John", where upon Delta Spirit joined them on stage, creating a huge racket and thoroughly delighting the audience. Delight is the right word I believe for Cold War Kids. Their blend of honest and uplifting rock and blues is hard to resist. They are all very talented musicians who play each and every song with the right degree of passion and fire. Thanks for coming to our shores again, CWK.

Set List
Pregnant
We Used To Vacation
Passing The Hat
Mexican Dogs
Tell Me In The Morning
Robbers
Every Man I Fall For
Something Is Not Right With Me
Welcome To The Occupation
God, Make Up Your Mind
Hang Me Up To Dry
Every Valley Is Not A Lake
Hospital Beds

Quiet, Please!
Saint John

Support act Delta Spirit was a very pleasant surprise. This San Diego five piece inhabit a similar musical spectrum to the lead act and I thoroughly enjoyed their performance. Lead singer Matthew Vasquez has a great voice and a fiery stage presence. "Children" was probably the stand out song of theirs. They are releasing their new album "Ode To Sunshine" next week and after this performance I will definitely be buying it.