It takes a special band to make the entire 20.000 strong audience of the O2 arena get to their feet and start dancing, but The Killers brought their Vegas flair and turned London on with their melodious rock.
Starting out slow with A Matter of Time from their new album Battle Born, they won over the audience with the familiar Somebody Told Me, which marked the beginning of a sing-along marathon leaving many (including myself) without a voice at the end of it.
Energetic entertainer
Lead singer Brandon Flowers knows how to entertain an arena and confidently juggled his role as keyboardist, guitarist and energetic front man controlling the stage, comfortably backed up by guitarist Dave Keuning, drummer Ronnie Vannucci, and bass guitarist Mark Stoermer.
The US band has an easy sound that appeals to everyone from the 50-something woman next to me, to the nine-year-old behind me who was rocking out way past his bed time. It was hard not to love them and by the time Human was playing I was jumping up and down with the crowd screaming “are we human, or are we dancers” on the top of my lungs, despite being terrified of tripping over the seat in front of me and tumble to my death. I forgot I could be a fan-girl.
“Fingers crossed”
Less than half way through the set, Flowers asked the audience to “keep their fingers crossed” as he had already gotten further than he did in Manchester, where he was forced to finish the show early due to vocal problems. The London audience, however, had nothing to worry about as the band finished their 22 songs without Flowers’ voice failing a single note.
Other crowd-pleasers included their “old classics” Mr. Brightside and All These Things That I’ve Done, as well as the Oasis tribute of Don’t Turn Back in Anger making every proud Brit in the room sing their hearts out.
Although The Killers managed to fill the enormous O2 arena with their sound and energy it was sometimes eclipsed by the frantic light show, and they failed to provide the personal connection an audience should feel under a great performance. I found myself missing their more personal 2007 Roskilde performance despite being soaked in rain and drowning in mud during that festival. I guess thats what happens when a band goes from being great to too big.
Back next year
Saturday 17 was their last show in the UK this year but The Killers will be back in February and June of next year.
Balsam Maki
Dharmi Dave
Alex Bennett