The Killers’ highly anticipated concert at 3Arena was a success, replete with nostalgia and resplendent with stellar performances. Brandon Flowers, the band’s frontman, alluded to the passage of time mid-set during one of their hits, ‘Reasons Unknown’. The show drew an eager audience early on, mainly to see the Scottish indie band, Travis, the opening act for The Killers. Indie music lovers delighted in a significant lineup of their popular tunes and a heartfelt tribute to mothers.
Fran Healy, the frontman of Travis with his distinctly bright, red hairstyle resembling John Lydon’s, hailed The Killers as the world’s finest band in a gentlemanly handover. With The Killers’ appearance on stage, the diverse crowd was prepared for an evocative nostalgia trip.
They commenced the evening with the recent 2020 track ‘My Own Soul’s Warning’, only for the atmosphere to truly spark with their classic, ‘Human’. This set the tone for a series of heartfelt audience sing-a-longs.
Brandon Flowers, who engaged the audience throughout the close to two-hour-long performance, hinted he had recently been performing elsewhere, but expressed his intention to make this night unforgettable. This was undoubtedly the case when ‘Somebody Told Me’ and ‘Smile Like You Mean It’ from their debut album ‘Hot Fuss’ were performed, both received enthusiastically by the audience.
Representing Las Vegas proudly, Flowers and his band delivered an exceptional stage show with immersive visual performances mapped from Vegas strip to Nevada’s sands. The charismatic frontman channeled his inner Elvis in a stunning black suit with glittering lapels.
Aside from a brief lull, likely due to drinks refills, the concert was full of theatrical highs, most notably during ‘Bones’. A surge of energy returned with ‘Runaways’ ending climactically. Then softer moments were interspersed, with Flowers encouraging audience inclusivity before ‘Read My Mind’, and the returning guitarist, Dave Keuning who had been absent from touring regained his spotlight. Ronnie Vannucci Jr.’s drumming also left a lasting impression, closing the night on a perfectly resonant note.
The midweek performance in Dublin saw the resurfacing of Andy You’re a Star, lesser-known but with a spectacular space-age sound, along with Spirit. The rearranged line-up concluded with the audience in unison declaring ‘I got soul, but I’m not a soldier’ from the track All These Things That I’ve Done, under a shower of tricolored confetti.
The influence of the 2003 anthem Mr Brightside on the Irish public is worthy of academic investigation. Despite never climbing above the 40th position, the symbolic song has lingered in the Irish musical rankings for over 320 weeks. Whether it’s an audience of darts enthusiasts, spirited nights at the Bróg in Cork, or a bustling 10,000-capacity arena, the song electrifies the ambiance. Flowers delivered a sizzling encore version that saw him ascend the speakers, invoking a mass stand-up-and-dance response.
A rowdy rendition of When You Were Young rounded off the evening with Flowers expressing his gratitude and hoping the audience “enjoyed their visit, even if it’s only for [three] days”. Those lining up to witness tonight’s concluding performance in Ireland are in for a treat.