All aboard the RMS KILLERS. Next stop? Brightside!
All aboard the RMS KILLERS. Next stop? Brightside!
Written by Sarah Mudgway   
Thursday, 09 April 2009 15:08

Welcome aboard the RMS KILLERS. A 'Joy Ride' away to a place where single cups of water cost $4.50, plastic palm trees sway under the weight of fairylights... and star jumps, are the new Mexican-wave.

Las Vegas band THE KILLERS played to a near sold-out crowd at Vector Arena last night, but the stage props and overall tone felt more like a cruise ship performance as opposed to an arena show. That’s not to say the cruise-like vibes were a bad thing – if any band can pull off 80’s neon and feathered jackets, it is the The Killers.

Opening with 'Human', their first single off of their latest release 'Day & Age', Brandon Flowers (vocals, keyboards), Dave Keuning (guitar, back-up vocals), Mark Stoermer (bass, back-up vocals) and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. (drums, percussion) turned the Vector Arena into a dance party of epic proportions from the moment the first note dropped.

Continuing their set with 'This Is Your Life', also from 'Day & Age', perhaps the most striking aspect of their performance early on was the stage set up. Unlike most other touring bands of late, The Killers brought along all their stage props using the stage as a blank canvas and decking it out in a way only they could pull off. With a zebra print backdrop, multi coloured neon lights matched with intermittent strobes, fake palm trees, fairy lights and mirror tiled pianos (FYI: anyone wanting to donate Coup De Main with one of these will be our bff's for life), the show took on a somewhat cheesy 80's Las Vegas casino type look. Again, this was definitely NOT a bad thing.

The pace picked up with their third song for the evening – 'Somebody Told Me' – off of their debut album 'Hot Fuss'. With red strobes flooding the arena, joined by the sound of the entire crowd singing the lyrics straight back at an appreciative Flowers, his stage presence and surprisingly powerful voice echoed throughout the venue, stealing everyone’s attention. Adding further to the showman like feel of the show was Flowers noteworthy and highly entertaining robot-running man dance moves which were timed perfectly to the flawless beat kept by Vannucci Jr.

Going straight from dance floor anthem 'Somebody Told Me' to lighter single 'For Reasons Unknown', midway through the song Brandon spoke into the microphone: “This song is about waking up one morning, and everything changes…you think you are in love…gone without a trace…you want it back, so you call for it... you call for it”, before launching into what can only be described as an emotional and epic ending to the track.

Joined by a saxophone player and an extra percussionist on bongos, the next few tracks off 'Day & Age' had a tropical island tone, which was a nice break from the rain and inevitable onset of Winter which was occurring outside. Rocking through 'I Can't Stay' and 'Joy Ride' with ease, it became very clear to anyone still in doubt that The Killers not only come up with catchy tunes, but they are also very talented.

One minor gripe was the lack of stage presence from guitarist Keuning. You would assume any man confident enough to wear a leopard print shirt and looking like he walked straight out of a 'Darkness video in front of a sold out arena would be a little more energetic. I can’t fault his musical ability, as he picked and strummed his way through their entire set with ease; however at times it looked a little too easy, and a little too over rehearsed. Note to self: leopard print shirts alone do not automatically make you cool.

Animal prints aside, 'Smile Like You Mean It' had the audience smiling... like they meant it. For one fan sitting just a few rows ahead, this song seemingly unlocked his inner desire to be an 80's aerobics instructor. Star jumps seemed to be his favoured move, with some Tae Bo inspired air punching thrown in just for good measure. At one point it appeared that either Flowers had witnessed this mid-show aerobics lesson and was mimicking the dance moves (workout AND entertaining a crowd all in one… told you they were talented), or 80's aerobics is BACK. Either way, it sure was entertaining... if not slightly distracting.

The singles kept coming with 'Spaceman', 'Sam's Town' and 'Read My Mind' all appearing side by side in the superbly put together set list. While the set had a leaning towards 'Day & Age' (not surprising given they are out touring to promote this album), most of the crowd pleasing singles were present with a few surprises thrown in such as a cover of Joy Division's 'Shadowplay'. The Killers, in their first headlining show of New Zealand, understood what the crowd wanted and found a way to mix that with their own promotional requirements.

Given that the majority of articles or reviews written about The Killers focus solely on Brandon Flowers, I do feel like drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr needs a shout out. When it comes to pulling off The Killers style of music, a consistent drummer to maintain the beat is key. Ronnie not only held the beat, but he was also one of the most energetic and attention grabbing drummers I have seen in awhile. His facial expressions, drum stick throws and overall persona on stage made it impossible to not notice him which is a rare talent, as most drummers fade into the background shadowed by the crowds love for the frontman (or woman).

If there was one song which was guaranteed to receive a loud applause, it would be 'Mr. Brightside' off of their first album 'Hot Fuss'. As soon as the first note sounded, the arena from floor to ceiling was on their feet, and Flowers vocals bounced off of the walls trying to keep up with the audience screaming every word straight back at him. Then there was the roof-raising smash hit 'All These Things That I Have Done', which saw Flowers standing on a speaker and punching his microphone into the air while the arena sang along in unison, “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier.”

Leaving the stage for a brief intermission, the deafening screams of the oddly put together audience (one of the oldest crowds I’ve seen at a show lately) continued on for the four song encore consisting of 'Bones', 'Losing Touch', 'Jenny Was A Friend of Mine' and 'When You Were Young'. Ending the polished performance with a literal bang as flames rose from the back of the stage before sparkles fell from the ceiling, it was apparent that The Killers had pretty much killed it. Guitarist Keuning even gave his first jump of the night, all the while delivering two spectacular guitar solos.

Departing the 80’s influenced Las Vegas inspired RMS Killers boat and walking back into a cold and rainy reality, the excited chatter and “this was the best show I’ve ever been to” exclamations coming from the man behind me proved that this show was well worth it. The Killers are a band which carry that special something which appeals to the masses, animal prints and all.

 

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