The band currently on the tip of everyone’s tongues, make a triumphant return to London’s Koko courtesy of MTV. Tonight they prove they deserve to be in the running for that Brand New For 2011 award as they put on a compelling performance for many who have turned up especially for them instead of the headliners. As they take to the stage, tight jean clad, quiffs intact and Jack Daniels in hand; they fit the retro, rock n roll band mould perfectly. Just like Kings of Leon were back in ’03, this Nashville based four-piece are the epitome of ‘effortless cool’; it’s no wonder so many people have already jumped on their bandwagon.
Launching into ‘Trouble On The Way’, ‘Teenager’ and ‘Lines In The Sand’ respectively, they seduce the crowd with their romantic rock n roll, bluesy baselines and passionate Springsteen-esque vocals. They are confident and comfortable and I’m stunned by how incredible tight they are for such a new band. As their most recognisable song, ‘Listen To Your Love’ provokes the biggest crowd reaction. However, I actually find that I prefer unreleased album tracks such as ‘Shooting The Moon’ and ‘Lean Into The Fall’; even though I’d never heard them before. Every song on the set list has the potential to be a single, hinting that their debut (due for release May 16th) is going to be full of nonstop bangers. One was so good in fact, that for a moment I was convinced it was a cover.
There’s no doubting that Mona are justifying the hype surrounding them and although this is my first time seeing them live, by the end I am left reassured that I just witnessed something special. If predictions are correct, in a few years time an intimate gig like this will be hard to come by and I’m glad to say I was a part of it from the beginning. If the continuous crowd chants of “Mona” during the show are anything to go by, I don’t think I was the only one.
Set List: Trouble On The Way, Teenager, Lines In The Sand, Listen To Your Love, Say You Will, Shooting The Moon, Lean Into The Fall
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See this review on Clink: http://clinkmusicmagazine.com/2011/01/26/mona-at-koko
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