The Kooks are still hot even though they're not

[nggallery id=29] The Kooks casually strolled onto the blue hued stage of The Troubadour in West Hollywood on Monday March 10, amidst deafening cries. A short intro was followed by a blast of "See The World," off of their 2006 album Inside In/Inside Out.

The British group formed in 2004 and consists of lead singer Luke Pritchard, lead guitarist Hugh Harris, bass guitarist Peter Denton, and Paul Garred on drums. During the concert, The Kooks performed cuts from all three of their existing albums as well as three new songs.

The Kooks' performance mimicked their studio recordings almost perfectly, adding of course the crowd cheering and building acoustics. But the band's loyalty to their studio sound made the performance seem unauthentic.

The fans didn't help create the experience; most people standing in front of the stage sung along while looking either through their phones or around at other attendees.

Pritchard's effort at wooing female audience members was at times laughable. At one point he turned his back to the crowd and drew his hand up his back, lifting his shirt to the audience.

However, the band's stage presence starkly contrasts with what they're singing about. In a song off their new album, Junk of the Heart, Pritchard sings, "Don't believe in the things that don't believe in you, or the things that you do will come back on you."

Startlingly insightful for a guy that lifts his shirt up to get girls to scream. But at the same time, these are the guys that brought you "Jackie Big T*ts" (curiously absent from that night's set list) and "F&$# the World Off."

Still, though, at the end of the set I found myself wanting to catch the band's attention as they left the stage. They all missed me except Garred and Pritchard, who, being the last to leave, grabbed my outstretched palm and clasped it for a second before letting go and walking up the dark stairwell to the quiet of backstage.

I didn't wash my hand that night.