Kings of Leon reign in the past and present

By Tom Kielty, Globe Correspondent, 9/17/2003

The Followill boys have a fair amount of pressure on their heads these days. The three brothers and first cousin, who perform under the band name Kings of Leon, are riding the biggest wave of alternative music buzz since the Strokes (with whom they will share the Tsongas Arena stage on Halloween).

If Friday evening's performance at Axis is any indication, the Tennessee-based upstarts, none of whom is older than 23, are simply taking things in stride. Their first Boston headlining date was a resounding success, updating the same Southern sources the Rolling Stones tapped into as young men during a knockout hourlong set.

The four took the stage with an understated ease that belied their youth. Despite having played together for less than two years, the band motored through a groove-heavy set with the confidence of club veterans, proving that if the set was a tad short (the band has only one album, "Youth and Young Manhood,") the hype they have generated is justified.

It did not take long for the Kings to hit their first peak as the shuffling thump of "Wasted Time" introduced the raucous "Spiral Staircase." Prior to the song, singer Caleb Followill dedicated the band's performance to Johnny Cash, and the combination of swampy vibes and British invasion guitar leanings would surely have made the Man in Black smile. The chiming guitars that kick-started "Joe's Head" and Caleb's suitably gruff vocals brought to mind another Southern family outfit, the Allman Brothers Band.

Despite their relative inexperience, the Kings swing with an intuitive sense that must be the source of the band's ease on stage. After introducing current hit "Molly's Chambers," Caleb was told by his bandmates that this was not, in fact, the next song. He nonchalantly wheeled back to the microphone and corrected himself, and the band proceeded to tear through "Holy Roller Novocaine" before playing an equally impassioned "Molly's Chambers."

Despite its classic rock influences the band is not mired in the past. "California Waiting" sounded as if an established band were covering an indie rock hit, and the result was spectacular. Many in attendance were disappointed at the lack of an encore, but as bass-playing sibling Jared Followill explained following the show, "Johnny Cash didn't play encores." When a 17-year-old has this kind of respect for the past and is so obviously of the present, fans would be wise to take note.

Kings of Leon

With 22-20s and Jet

At: Axis, Friday night