Kings Of Leon at BST Hyde Park sees the revival of a band finally able to let loose

Any thoughts that Kings Of Leon might be riding into the sunset? Throw them firmly to the side. This is a rebirth: fun, guaranteed. Words: Jamie Muir. Photos: Dave Hogan, @elliekoepke.

How do you adapt when things change and become bigger than you ever expected? For Kings Of Leon, their relationship with being one of the biggest bands on the planet has been stacked with moments of undeniable highs yet also uncomfortable growing pains. The Followill family's cut-deep heartland-rock twists took them from beloved saviours of breakthrough guitar culture into global powerhouses. That jump, when their 2008 album 'Only By The Night' took them into the unprecedented terrain of mammoth festival-headline behemoths and 'big gigs only'. It also saw them looking at a completely different reality that has continued to evolve with every step they've made since. It leads them to 2024 and another giant night headlining London's iconic Hyde Park. Yet, there's something different. The band's latest album, 'Can We Please Have Fun?' is an invitation and a mission statement, and tonight, it's played out in grandstand fashion as Kings Of Leon look around and embrace just how massive they've become. Most importantly, it's a revival of a band finally able to let loose.

Nieve Ella opens the Birdcage Stage, tucked in the side of Hyde Park, with panoramic bangers galore. Each track feels like an anthem; whether it's 'The Things We Say', 'His Sofa' or latest single 'Sugarcoated', today's set is the perfect welcoming nod of effortless indie-pop. Pulled from the everyday emotions that cross over universally and immediately, it's yet another example of why Nieve Ella is going to become a very big deal to a whole lot of people.

That sense of ambition is also written all across Daydreamers, who take to the same stage with the sort of delightfully slick neon-indie hooks that give second-hand sugar highs. New cut 'Saviour' shows their nods to today's headliners, but a run of 'Call Me Up' and 'Beach House' to close their quick-fire burst of an introduction to many proves they're bringing together a melting pot of different touchstones. What they have in common? That ambition again - Daydreamers have the tunes to be firmly in your head in no time.

Is it truly summer if you haven't seen The Vaccines in a field? No band can leave a mark on a festival day quite like them. As the sun beams down, today is a reminder of their undeniable singalong catalogue. 'Wreckin Bar', 'Wetsuit', 'Headphones Baby', 'Handsome' and 'Your Love Is My Favourite Band' may have arrived in the world at various points of their career - but all feel undeniably fresh and massive. Every second is feel-good, sitting as the perfect summer evening band. The pace never relents. Razor-sharp hooks like 'Teenage Icon' and 'I Always Knew' lead into arms in the air for 'If You Wanna' and a closing 'All My Friends Are Falling In Love'. Getting an emphatic reaction that most support acts could only dream of, it's nothing short of a masterclass.

Paolo Nutini continues that buzz, bringing pure aura to Hyde Park. Leaning on latest album 'Last Night In The Bittersweet', the likes of 'Acid Eyes', 'Afterneath' and 'Lose It' are drenched in pure psychedelic release, while it's the refreshing new takes on classics like 'New Shoes' and 'Pencil Full Of Lead' (the latter turned into a The War On Drugs-esque trip of dazzling fashion) that showcase a bold new vision. With huge crowds pouring across the site to singalong to 'Candy' and the emphatic powerhouse closer 'Iron Sky', which sees an a capella hush Hyde Park before an eruptive build, it's a reminder of Paolo Nutini's unique place in modern British music history.

It'd be easy for Kings Of Leon to click autopilot. A band who've become synonymous around the globe with sky-high festival anthems, this isn't the first time they've packed out Hyde Park. True institutions at this stage, they step out into the setting sun of London with a point to prove. Blazing through classics such as 'On Call', 'The Bucket', 'Taper Jean Girl' and 'Revelry', they set their marker down. With a glint in their eyes and a swagger in their step, Kings Of Leon embrace the moment in front of them - revelling in the rich catalogue of anthems they have in their disposable and allowing themselves to tap into the emotion pouring back at them. This is band who've soundtracked countless lives yet instead of simply settling for being the jukebox to another giant party, they're laser-focused on being a part of that party too.

'Sex On Fire' lands barely a third of the way through the set; a true power move, it's a stunning reminder of where Kings Of Leon sit in the league table of Very Big Bands. A jaw-dropping 'Pyro' and 'Wait For Me' brings cinematic flair to Hyde Park, while the heavy kicks of 'Molly's Chambers', 'The Bandit', 'Find Me' and 'King Of The Rodeo' showcase how every move made for over 20 years has nestled in something far bigger than just four guys onstage. Everything feels playful and in the moment.

New album 'Can We Please Have Fun?' is undeniably the match lighting the flame - the scuzzy 'Mustang', spellbinding 'Ballerina Radio', crashing 'Rainbow Ball', hypnotic 'Split Screen' and whipping 'Nothing To Do' are beefed up and immediate (the latter seeing "camera technicians" pop on stage to create the ultimate 70s-esque music video for the grand screens filling the park). When 'Fans' kicks in after frontman Caleb jokes about being nervous that England would lose the football, he talks about how special the UK has been to Kings Of Leon and why all of the band's kids and families have come to this show. Taking a step back to let the choir of Hyde Park take the singing away into the night, it's a staggering moment of clarity.

They can jump between 'Closer' and 'Waste A Moment' to an emotional 'Cold Desert' and emphatic 'Use Somebody' because they've become That Band. Any thoughts that Kings Of Leon might be riding into the sunset? Throw them firmly to the side. This is a rebirth: fun, guaranteed.