The K's 03.08.2024 @ Newton Music Festival

Credit for this page goes to: John Gilman​

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For The K’s, this homecoming concert couldn’t have been closer to their roots. Lead singer Jamie marveled at the surreal experience of playing on the very park where the band spent countless hours in their youth. Mesnes Park, along with much of the surrounding area, features prominently in their songs—especially “Landmines,” which Jamie noted was directly inspired by their time there. Some gigs are memorable, but others transcend the ordinary, becoming almost biblical in nature. This was undoubtedly one of the latter.

 

The day began with a few drinks at the legendary Sunbeam Hotel before we headed to the arena, guided by Uncle Al, who provided a nostalgic tour, pointing out landmarks immortalized in the band’s lyrics. Fan favorites like “Landmines” were suddenly more tangible, rooted in the very soil we stood on.

 

The night kicked off with the orchestral intro of “Icarus,” setting the tone for what was clearly going to be a special evening. The atmosphere was electric, with smoke bombs, mosh pits, and fans singing at full volume. The energy didn’t let up as the band launched straight into “Chancer,” sending the crowd into a frenzy. Every track felt epic, and the sound quality was as good as it gets for an outdoor festival. Newton had never seen anything like this before.

 

As they raced through “Picture” (a personal favorite), “Heart on My Sleeve,” and “Glass Towns,” the tempo slowed down slightly for the anthemic “Hoping Maybe,” complete with the now-legendary “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” intro. With smoke bombs, phone lights, and lighters held aloft, In a field with thousands of K’s fans, arms aloft singing

 

“Hoping maybe

You might know how to save me

And I know we’ve never met, but tell me where you’ve been just lately

‘Cause I’ve missed you all my life

I’ve just never realized it till tonight.”

 

This is what gigs are meant to feel like—spine-tingling, with a palpable sense of love for the band. The night continued with “Black and Blue,” bringing the mosh pits back to life. It was one of those nights you never want to end.

 

“Throw It All Away,” written by Jamie during a low point in his life, was magnificent, followed by “Lights Go Down,” picking up where “Hoping Maybe” left off, showcasing the band’s range from high-energy indie to heartfelt, anthemic ballads. Jamie then introduced “Landmines,” saying it would be rude not to play a song literally about the venue. The iconic drum intro sent the crowd into a frenzy, and they quickly followed it with another fan favorite, “Hometown.”

 

Then it was time for the iconic last song intro. Dirty Earlestown ‘We are The K’s from Earlestown and this is Sarajevo!!!’ As the last notes rang out, the crowd was left in awe of a truly spectacular performance. This gig had everything: beers at the infamous Sunbeam, meeting some of the best fans anywhere (especially Winston—blood brothers now), epic mosh pits, and a bit of stress getting an Uber home with almost no batter on my phone. Every moment of the night was biblical—a true “I was there” experience. If you ever have the chance to see The K’s, buy, beg, borrow, or steal a ticket. You will not be disappointed.

 

**Setlist:**

 

- Icarus

- Chancer

- Picture

- Heart on My Sleeve

- Glass Towns

- Hoping Maybe (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun intro)

- Black and Blue

- Throw It All Away

- Lights Go Down

- Landmines

- Hometown

- Sarajevo (Dirty Earlestown intro)

 

*NB: “No Place Like Home” was listed on the setlist but was not played due to time constraints.*

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