Southern California was treated with a special back-to-back night run by the Kings of Leon on Aug. 21 and 22.

Back from Europe on its summer leg of its “Only By The Night“ Tour, the band looked and played in top form, but only after the opening act, The Whigs, took the stage for a short—but very much appreciated—thirty minute set.

The location the first night: the Cox Arena on the San Diego University campus.

The band opened with the first song off “Only By The Night,” “Closer,” and this was a powerhouse of a song, pouncing through the arena.

Before the show, many people wondered if the band would only play its older material, like “Taper Jean Girl,” “The Bucket” and “Red Morning Light.”

That was exactly the case.

Of the 23 songs performed on Friday, only six were from its latest album.

This was quite the treat for older fans.

Midway through the main set, the hits came out, like “Sex On Fire,” getting a major response from fans; a great shouting war between lead singer Caleb and the audience during the chorus.

The group “left” the stage after about two hours, as roadies and members of the road crew decided to “disassemble” the stage.

Five minutes later, the band was back.

“So…these are the real fans. Our real fans,” Caleb Followill crooned into the mic as the remaining thousands of fans cheered.

“Knocked Up” ended the five-song encore, leaving the San Diego University on its toes.

The next day, LA County got a great show at the Inglewood Forum, with yet another new song, “Be Somebody” to open the show.

One difference from the previous night: the arena was bigger.

A fairly identical set list from Friday’s in San Diego, the group got great responses from the audiences during the current hit, “Use Somebody,” which closed the main set.

The band does a few shows in the U.S. and then has one more stint in Europe, before closing out in the late autumm in Mexico City, Mexico.