The Killers @ UBC Thunderbird Arena - April 24/09

Feeling a bit tired tonight, so skipped the openers. This was my first time at Thunderbird Arena. Apparently it's been renovated in preparation for the Winter Olympics. Sorta like the PNE Forum, but nicer. We didn't have great seats, near the back on the right side, but all seats seem to have a decent view due to steep seating. The only reason I'm sharing these moans is because some of this may have coloured my impression of The Killers show.

I'm glad I got to see them, and the show was okay, but it certainly didn't blow me away. And I thought the sound was a bit muffled, particularly on one of my favourite songs, Read My Mind. And while I'm not a huge fan of the Jumbotron, it certainly would have helped those at the back more fully appreciate the show.

The set decoration was pretty fun: palm trees, and a great layout of lights, where hundreds of lights in a grid pattern blanketed the backdrop and some of the stage fixtures, like the monitors in front. These were different for every song and sometimes during it, giving each song its own visual wash of colour.

The Killers launched right in to Human and then This is your Life off their new album, "Day & Age". In fact they played the first seven songs off the album, mostly in the first part of the set, sprinkling in some early songs and the Joy Division cover Shadowplay, complete with stills from Control, the biopic on Ian Curtis, which is a nice nod to one of their post-punk influences.

Other than the obligatory shout out to Vancouver, Brandon Flowers dedicated one song, I Can't Stay, to Nardwuar and nanaimo bars, making me guess they were interviewed earlier in the day. This song was a departure from my impression of The Killers, adding a full on Vegas show feel, complete with a sax player, and caribbean percussion. Very loungey. And hopefully very ironic. The palm trees didn't help at this point.

A Dustland Fairytale, apparently the new album's third single, brings the set to its first apex, soft teasing parts, followed by catchy and building crescendos. This song looks and sounds like its fun for the band to play, and I guess they'll be doing this live for a long time, maybe as a break from some of those hits they'll have to keep playing whether they like it or not.

This was followed by the highlight of the night, for me, Sam's Town. A super slowed-down and haunting version begins with desolate Las Vegas images projected behind the band, the stage awash in red. And with perfect timing, just as Flowers sings the final words of the line "But I know that I can make it / As long as somebody takes me home", up pops a motel "Welcome" sign. Take me home, indeed. I got shivers.

The main set is rounded out by a trio of hits, thrilling the now hooked and engaged audience. All but a few people are on their feet and dancing or singing along. At least the Killers got the set list down perfectly. Even from a distance it's clear that Flowers is an energetic and interesting front man, skinny in all-black, like the rest of the band, he bounds and dances around, across the stage and up on the monitors, occasionally playing a bit on the keyboard behind the stylized "k" centre stage. But, from our seats, it still felt a bit like watching a show on a 14" TV.

We ducked out before the encore, so we stood a chance at getting back home on the bus without being squashed, but it's pretty likely they played Bones, Jenny Was a Friend of Mine, and When You Were Young, as their setlist has been pretty consistent so far on this tour.

So, an okay show. Certainly got me listening to the new album more, which is slowly growing on me.


Setlist:
Human
This is Your Life
Somebody Told Me
For Reasons Unknown
I Can't Stay
Joyride
Bling (Confessions of a King)
Shadowplay
Smile Like You Mean It
Spaceman
Losing Touch
A Dustland Fairytale
Sam's Town
Read My Mind
Mr. Brightside
All These Things That I've Done
Encore (Probably):
Bones
Jenny Was a Friend of Mine
When You Were Young