Kings Of Leon take over town of Mildura with their best rock hits

The US rockers are back and revealed why they agreed to play in regional Victoria after a decade of being overseas. See photos and video.

American rockers Kings of Leon give a sneak preview of their Australian arena tour. Picture: Garry Brandon

It was an offer too good to refuse for American rock gods Kings of Leon.

With a week off between their New Zealand and Australian tours, the Sex On Fire superstars wanted to play somewhere “picturesque”, somewhere off the capital city circuit they knew so well.

Their promoter Paul Dainty suggested Mildura as part of Always Live, the Victorian initiative to reignite the love of live music and bring international stars to the regions.

The four Followills — brothers Caleb, Nathan, Jared and cousin Matthew — said the opportunity to be kings of a town for a night, particularly one that has never hosted an international charttopping band, is rare.

US rockers Kings of Leon at the Mildura Sporting Oval. Picture: Vision House Photography

“It’s so fun to come to a small town and take over the whole town for one night,” drummer Nathan said.

“People on social media have been ‘you guys are literally all we have going on for this night so everyone is going to come out.’ It’s so cool.”

Frontman Caleb said performing a destination gig in a regional town like Mildura posed an exciting challenge for a band used to preaching to the converted at their upcoming arena shows.

Kings of Leon treated fans in Mildura to a one-off gig. Picture: Vision House Photography

“We have to prepare ourselves that people won’t know the music at all,” he said.

“And that’s also something that’s fun at this point of our career, to be able to win people over. “Hopefully be the time we leave they are big fans.”

The Mildura gig, on a sports field surrounded by grape vines, was also rare for its family vibe, kids hoisted on their parents’ shoulders bopping alongside teen and twenty somethings as Gen X couples held hands and relived a youth of Big Day Outs and mosh pits.

It also highlighted how important the regional and destination touring market has become to the sustainability of the Australian live music industry.

Mildura music fans at the Kings of Leon gig. Picture: Vision House Photography

It has been almost a decade since Kings Of Leon last played in Australia.

And while the tour is in support of their 2021 album When You See Yourself, the band, as music fans themselves, know that the audience wants a set which delivers as much of the old stuff as their new stuff.

American rockers Kings of Leon hit the Aussie stage. Picture: Vision House Photography

US rockers Kings of Leon play the Mildura Sporting Oval. Picture: Vision House Photography

With eight albums over the past two decades they have an enviable catalogue of hits stretching from the early Triple J staples Molly’s Chambers, The Bucket and On Call through to their pop crossover smashes Sex On Fire and Use Somebody.

Their Australian tour setlist is an impressive 26 songs played over two hours, a celebration of being back on the road after the long pandemic pause on international touring.

Their tour signals the return of a full summer season of big gigs with Dua Lipa, Guns N Roses, Flume, Michael Buble, Kendrick Lamar, Keith Urban and The Killers all playing before the end of the year.

Kings of Leon head to Sydney to kick off their capital city run at Qudos Bank Arena on Monday.

Kathy McCabe travelled to Mildura as a guest of Visit Victoria.

Originally published as Kings Of Leon take over town of Mildura with their best rock hits