The Killers: Las Vegas rockers dial up nostalgia in Brisbane to open Australia tour
The Killers opened their Australian tour in Brisbane on Tuesday, reigniting 2000s nostalgia in a sea of confetti. But not everything went to plan. REVIEW AND FULL SET LIST
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The Killers returned to Aussie shores after four years, opening their tour in Brisbane with a sea of confetti and noughties nostalgia.
Kicking off the Australian leg of their Imploding The Mirage Tour 2022, the Las Vegas rockers performed a sellout show at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Tuesday, the first of nine arena and outdoor shows across the country.
Not everything hit the mark for the sellout crowd on the night.
Perhaps it was the mixed set list – cramming their two-decade catalogue into a 21-song set – or maybe it was the crowd itself, ranging from twenty-somethings to empty nesters.
But this is a testament to the band’s broad appeal and longevity.
The rockers can’t be faulted for their showmanship on Tuesday, particularly frontman Brandon Flowers – whose signature high energy as he belted out a mixture of the classic anthems and new tunes left him dripping in sweat and searching for towels between songs.
The band’s last Australian tour was in 2018, months after an iconic performance at the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne.
They were due to return in 2020 to coincide with the release of their Imploding the Mirage album, but the pandemic postponed it.
Speaking before the show, Flowers revealed how the break had created a hunger for live music and a new-found enjoyment on stage.
The opening act for the Australian leg of the tour is Sydney singer-songwriter Alex Cameron, who co-wrote five songs on the group’s fifth studio album Wonderful Wonderful, supported them in 2018, and co-wrote three songs on Imploding the Mirage.
For The Killers, the night started well in Brisbane with an explosion of green and gold confetti for the opening number – 2020 release My Own Soul’s Warning.
Then came three well-known hits which got the crowd going – When You Were Young, Jenny Was a Friend of Mine and Smile Like You Mean It.
A few tunes later came 2008 hits Human and Spaceman which were also well-received, followed by 2004 smash record Somebody Told Me.
One of the best crowd reactions came to 2012 release Runaways, with Flowers getting the audience chanting lyrics “we can’t wait ‘til tomorrow” – funny considering the band is back at the same venue on Wednesday.
Speaking earlier, Flowers had described Runaways as a surprising favourite of his to perform live, despite it never being released as a single, because of the emotion it draws out of crowds.
However, the best reaction came to 2004 smash hit All These Things That I’ve Done. Every note landed, and then some.
Flowers had the Brisvegas crowd eating out of the palm of his hand and belting out lyrics “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier” on repeat.
Predictably, Mr Brightside was the finale. And to be clear, it was a good send off, considering the reactions this cult classic still gets during car karaoke sessions and on nightclub dance floors across the country. But understandably a lot of the crowd were already anticipating the Brisbane Entertainment Centre carpark crunch they were about to walk into.
Overall, the gig was a feast for the ears and eyes with four rounds of confetti, an abundance of lights and pyrotechnics, and impressive background visuals – particularly for Human, Spaceman and The Man.
Away from the music, the crowd was an eclectic mix, with many locals simply enjoying the opportunity to be in a moshpit again, soaking up live rock music and being showered in confetti. Other than sections of diehard fans towards the front, some of those standing didn’t seem to know enough of the band’s tunes to maintain their energy for the whole two hours.
In the stands, the fans’ average age was higher. But they were transfixed for the entire show and some diehards spent the whole two hours standing in their seats and grooving along – showing up the younger fans in the moshpit.
The Killers will spend three weeks Down Under with shows in the Barossa Valley, Perth, Geelong, Melbourne, Hunter Valley, and Sydney.
Full set list
My Own Soul’s Warning
Exitlude
When You Were Young
Jenny Was a Friend of Mine
Smile Like You Mean It
Shot at the Night
Quiet Town
Human
Spaceman
Somebody Told Me
Cody
Boy
A Dustland Fairytale
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack cover)
Runaways
Read My Mind
Dying Breed
Caution (with Rut intro)
All These Things That I’ve Done
The Man
Mr. Brightside
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