The Kills Simultaneously Capture the Hearts and Blow the Minds of their Fans in Chicago

Seeing is believing. Such is the case with The Kills.

The English-American rock duo consisting of Alison “VV” Mosshart and Jamie “Hotel” Hince have been described as “[a] minimalist duo with maximum impact… [who] strip rock ‘n’ roll down to its rawest essence and reinvent it with each release.” It is a fitting description for anyone who has listened to each of the duo’s six studio albums. Incorporating elements of garage rock, blues-punk and electro pop into their sound, Mosshart and Hince have consistently mined each genre to its core to pull out the requisite dirt, fuzz, crackle and pop before adding their own signature touches. It is an approach that has served Mosshart and Hince well, allowing them to stay true to their musical roots while simultaneously blossoming from them.

But no matter how much impact The Kills achieve with their albums (and it can be a lot), it pales in comparison to their live performances. Mosshart and Hince are rock stars, provoking visceral reactions to the energy and flair they exude from the stage – and doing Nigel Tufnel proud by turning it all up to 11. To put it into perspective, Hince is the smoldering cool Jimmy Page. Mosshart is the golden god Robert Plant. It is impossible to tear your eyes away.

Mosshart and Hince not only command the stage, they command your attention – Mosshart frenetically pacing back and forth across the stage like a caged feline while Hince uses the crunch and fuzz of his guitar to charm her before she pounces on the microphone to unleash her vocals. Whatever you expected to see from them on stage, prepare to see more.

Ask the fans in Chicago. Exactly twenty-two years after playing their first show (under the moniker “VV & Hotel”) on February 14, 2002 at a tiny bar in London known as the 12 Bar Club, Mosshart and Hince unleashed their fury on the 1,400 fans who crammed into The Vic Theatre on the North Side of the city. For over 90 incendiary minutes, The Kills… killed.

Playing a 19-song set that touched on songs from each of their six studio albums, including nine from their October 2023 release, God Games, The Kills perhaps fittingly commenced the evening with “Kissy Kissy” and ended it with “Fried My Little Brains” because Mosshart and Hince not only captured the hearts of their fans in Chicago, but blew their minds as well.

For more information about The Kills, God Games and the current tour, head to the band’s website.

All images: © Derek Smith / High Voltage Concert Photography for American Blues Scene