The Killers
Tivoli, Utrecht
20/02/2005
Sometimes it is good to just have some old fashioned dumb fun at a gig, and what better than a band from Las Vegas playing big tunes involving synthesisers and strong guitar lines? I wasn’t the only person who wanted this, as The Killers’ gig in Utrecht was completely sold out and once the band came on stage, almost all were immediately bouncing up and down to their single ‘Mr Brightside’.
For me, though, they seemed rather subdued playing it - a track that is one of their standouts and ready made for a little theatricality, at least from vocalist Brandon Flowers. This subdued beginning was either due to yet another night in the middle of a sold out tour around the UK and Europe, or was an example that they are not yet used to playing to completely full venues filled with fans who know the words to all their songs. Either way, I was a little disappointed with the lack of a ‘show’ from a band who come from one of the most showbiz cities of all.
There is no doubting the appeal of their best songs though, and they did improve as the night went on, with the high points being their single ‘Somebody Told Me’ and their encore which included the song ‘On Top’ fusing perfectly with the latter half of Pink Floyd’s ‘Time'. Perhaps a surprising choice from a band more associated with Duran Duran and The Cure than the makers of The Wall.
The Killers sent the crowd home happy after playing almost all of their only album Hot Fuss along with the odd new song, and they certainly have the potential to explode even further than they already have. However, in order to do this, they need to deliver more of a show to their audience and write a few more ‘killer’ tunes as they simply do not have enough strong material at present to hold the attention for an hour long gig.
Simon Gleave
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