When the Kings of Leon decided to film a live concert DVD, it was no surprise that they would choose London as the site.  After all, this is country largely responsible for the Kings elevation from indie/southern rockers to one of rocks biggest bands.(Their latest “Only by Night” actually outsold Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” in England!)

Throughout the show lead singer Caleb Followill makes several emotional references to the fans on the other side of the pond.  The love was not lost, as the capacity crowd at the O2 arena were highly active and engaged throughout the course of the show.  This concert at this time shows a band who has struck the big time, and frankly not that much has changed.

As far as the music is concerned, this is pretty much your average Kings of Leon show.  Not a lot of chit chat, light shows, instrument changes, or frills; just four guys in skinny jeans blowing through what is beginning to become a pretty impressive set list.  The big change comes in the size and the makeup of the crowd.   It is a pretty remarkable change to see the band play their early hits to such a large, diverse audience; a stark comparison from the early days of the band.  These older songs really stand up, and account for the lion’s share of the set list.  The band sounds great and show some pretty impressive musicianship on songs old and new.

While the DVD gives KOL fans a nice representation of the band doing what they do, it may be lost on the occasional observer.  The DVD is very stripped down, tends to drag a bit, and may not be ready for popcorn and a dedicated showing.  This is more a symptom of the format than the band though, as the concert is much better suited for background entertainment, or casual viewing.

While the minimalist nature of the disc keeps it from being a must buy, the release is not without merit.  The DVD provides a straight forward look at a low key rock band at the height of their popularity giving a very solid performance.

The show is available in both DVD and Blu-Ray formats now.