The Killers @ Genting Arena, 6 November, 2017
Tonight Birmingham Live have the chance to see The Killers on our doorstep.
Opening the set is a giant triangle lit up, this then folds back to reveal Brandon Flowers. For those not able to see from the sides, the rear screen has moving videos and is in the shape of a triangle. In fact everything is triangles as we will later understand, the stage is complete with a water tower and to the right two downward pointing arrows.
Opening up tonight’s set without delay, they are straight into Wonderful Wonderful the title track from their latest album (released in September). This is followed by the Man, the visuals are intense colours, with cowboy cartoons dotted about the screen. These are followed by horse riding cowboys and our first loud explosion of pink confetti, which covers the stage as much as the crowd. The crowd loved it.
Brandon addressed the audience “Hello we’re The Killers” < pause> “in Las Vegas Nevada we may not have a curry house but we have this”….the background showed what appeared to be a bank followed by a pyramid background. They went into Somebody Told Me which was perfect, the whole crowd were all jumping, including those previously seated!
The band move swiftly between the tracks played. The bass is so deep for Spaceman, and it seems to me that the TV screens on the side of stages are vibrating – which makes me feel drunk. The light shows are dazzling. So are the displays throughout, bright colourful, vibrant – exactly what I expected from The Killers. Run for Cover has cinematic, it is more of what we expect from the band, it goes down a treat.
The talented Flowers is pleasing to watch. He is like a little child with so much to do. Occasionally it is as if he doesn’t know what to do next. He manages vocals, keys, guitars and playing with the crowd. This includes dashing to each corner of the stage and walking out on the speaker stacks. He is engaging to watch and you can appreciate his multiple talents.
Ending tonight on All These Things That I’ve Done the crowd clearly were not going to let the Killers go home.
For the encore Flowers appears all sparkly and gold suited and we get four more. These start with The Calling followed by a bonus Believe Me Natalie (first time played since 2009) and finished by hitting it way out of the arena, with by two epic numbers When You Were Young and Mr. Brightside.
The Killers are one of the best live bands around and again they proved it tonight. The performance was faultless, the crowd were wild and crazy, their fans loved them and loved the show!
Set List
Wonderful Wonderful
The Man
Somebody Told Me
Spaceman
Run for Cover
I Can’t Stay (First time since 2013)
Smile Like You Mean It
For Reasons Unknown
Rut
Life to Come
Human
This River is Wild
Some Kind of Love
Runaways
Read My Mind
All These Things That I’ve Done
Encore:
The Calling
Believe Me Natalie (First time since 2009)
When You Were Young
Mr. Brightside
Reviewer: Chris Bowley
Image: Rob Loud (courtesy of PR)