NYC Live Show Review: No More Kings

Some might say that life is just a sample of something greater. Now I don’t know who these people are, and if I did, I’d probably steer clear of their pretentious asses. But I did, however, get a sample of something pretty sweet on the evening of April 13 (a Friday!) in a new, up-and-coming L.A.-based band, No More Kings.

The Cutting Room, a swank Manhattan bar/music venue, is where I found our new heroes. Swarmed with attentive waitresses in low-cut outfits, the establishment is owned by “Mr. Big” himself, Sex and the City star Chris Noth, who is sure to make his omnipresence known with his gigantic portrait hanging above the doorway from the bar to the stage area. The time allotted to No More Kings’ set was roughly 40 minutes--too short, definitely, yet it was so lively and dynamic that it left me strangely satiated.

No More Kings are fans of gummy bears, zombie movies and all things related to Saturday morning. The group was a concept devised by its animated frontman, Pete Mitchell, who bares a striking resemblance to Numb3rs actor David Krumholtz. Once I nabbed a seat at one of the tables, Mitchell, sporting a Flash T-shirt, and his bandmates proved they had the funk with “God Breathed,” a unique take on the book of Genesis. This grabbed the house’s attention immediately and garnered a positive response. The band made light of the reaction by saying, “That was just our sound check” and proceeded to walk off stage for a minute, before promptly making their way back.

One thing is certain: Anyone who writes a song about The Karate Kid, as they do with “Sweep The Leg,” is irrefutably cool in my book. (Seriously, I just checked.) And No More Kings, who play like a nifty blend of Jason Mraz and Alien Ant Farm, consistently reference movies and television in their lyrics. With songs like “Zombie Me” and “About Schroder,” they show how someone can take such nerdy elements and create something cool out of them. These guys actually said, “All the zombies in the house go ‘grrrrr!’” and it wasn’t even the least bit awkward. Hey, anyone who can bring dorkiness back in style gets another special mention in my book.

It’s also great to see that this young act gets along so well. It would seem Mitchell, who leaves the instrumentation up to the other guys, has a deeply personal relationship with everyone in the group and is having a blast up there with them. Usually I’d say give it another five years until their revealing Behind The Music special, but there’s definitely something endearing and genuine about these guys that makes it hard to believe the soulless music biz will corrupt them … entirely.

The set rounded out with “Sweep The Leg” and the song said to be “inspired by nylon pants,” “Someday.” The former was met with half the audience imitating the infamous leg kick in the 1984 hamfest and the latter was probably the most moving song in the set about growing up. My satisfying, albeit brief, introduction to No More Kings makes me sure I’ll see them again one day. I missed out in telling them how much they rocked after the show, and next time I see them I may not be in proper proximity to greet them. By that time, I won’t be the only one wanting a piece of them.

To learn more about No More Kings, check out their MySpace page. And if you’re still feeling adventurous, swing by and see their Karate Kid-loving tribute video for ”Sweep The Leg”

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