“It has been four crazy years but we are still The Killers”.
The Killers are a phenomenal live band. Bursting onto the scene in 2004, the rockers are known for their irresistible synth rock, their infectious nature and their Las Vegas blood; plus Flowers’ unique vocals, and the band did not disappoint as almost 20,000 adoring fans descended upon Mt Duneed Estate in Geelong on Saturday, December 10 2022.
Gifted with the most perfect evening – a welcomed change following Crowded House’s wet and muddy concert at the same venue just weeks prior – punters quickly covered the grassy surrounds of the winery with rugs, picnics and chairs as they set themselves up for what would be an incredible affair.
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Kicking off the festivities, Sydney-based rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, and composer Jack Ladder took to the stage as the sun was at its peak. The musical moniker of Timothy Rogers, Ladder treated the audience to his baritone voice and poignant observations on love and death, performing cuts from albums Hijack!, Hurtsville and Blue Poles. An underground hero of the Aussie music scene and perhaps unknown to a majority of the crowd, Ladder played his part in providing a relaxing soundtrack to ease punters into the evening that would follow.
The wildly adored genre-busting pop narrator 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 – followed by bringing hip-thrusting rhythm and tongue-tantalising tunes to the winery surrounds.
Performing with his six-piece live band – including sax player and collaborator Roy Molloy and Jess Parsons on the keyboard and stunning backup vocals – the effortlessly catchy synth-pop star turned on the charm and the banter as he treated audiences to the Nick-Cave style ‘Candy May’, the glistening ‘Miami Memory’, ‘Stranger’s Kiss’ (known as a duet with Angel Olsen), and cuts from his latest album Oxy Music in ‘Sara Jo’ and ‘K Hole’. He also delivered a swaying rendition of ‘Islands in the Stream’ to cap off an impressive support slot.
As the sun set, punters hurried to the best vantage points as one of the biggest live bands in the world – The Killers – prepared to take to the stage as part of their Imploding the Mirage Tour.
Marking four years since their last Australian tour and their second-ever a day on the green performance, it’s an understatement to say the band delivered, with energy that was beyond electric, staging that was next level and a performance that was truly memorable.
From the opening notes of ‘My Own Soul’s Warning’ – lifted from their 2021 album Imploding The Mirage – the scene was set, welcoming the night with a blast of confetti canons as frontman Brandon Flowers ran onto the stage, imparting an energy unlike that of any other. He is the quintessential frontman – a committed entertainer that’s all class, swagger and confidence, with a beaming smile, entertaining dance moves and the ability to work the crowd like an old pro.
Photo Credit – Chris Phelps | @chrisphelps
With a sea of confetti covering the stage, noughties nostalgia hitting hard and the crowd already in the palm of their hands, the band welcomed listeners into the soundscape with the piano ballad ‘Enterlude’ and the very appropriate lyrics “It’s good to have you with us / even if it’s just for the day…” before launching into pop-rock masterpiece ‘When You Were Young’, both lifted from 2006 album Sam’s Town.
With fans young and old on their feet, the band breezed their way through a 22-song set filled with their biggest hits, non-single fan favourites and choice cuts from the tour’s namesake Imploding The Mirage including ‘Dying Breed’, ‘Caution’ (with a seriously impressive guitar solo), ‘Shot At The Night’, ‘Running Towards A Place’, and ‘Fire In Bone’.
With Flower’s soaring vocals front and centre, ‘Runaway Horses’, from 2021’s Pressure Machine, offered a momentary reprieve for the mosh showcasing a gentler and more introspective side to the band.
While there wasn’t much crowd interaction between songs, The Killers instead happy to squeeze as many tracks into their two hours on stage as they could manage (which let’s be honest, we’re all entirely grateful for), moments like ‘Runaways’ saw Flowers engage the crowd through music, getting some 20,000 fans to sing “we can’t wait ‘til tomorrow’ over and over. His performance demeanour, especially at this moment, made the audience feel as if something about this particular show impressed and meant something to the band, rather than it just being another night at the office.
Photo Credit – Chris Phelps | @chrisphelps
Tracks from their debut were always going to be among the highlights, with Hot Fuss picks including ‘Jenny Was A Friend of Mine’, ‘Smile Like You Mean It’, ‘Somebody Told Me’, and ‘All These Things That I’ve Done’, an epic track which capped off the main part of the set gloriously with the third canon explosion, this time of streamers, and the 20,000 crowd-strong singing “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier”.
Delivering every morsel of that indescribable magic The Killers’ albums and past live shows have held, the band re-emerged onstage for the encore, kicking into the danceable ‘Spaceman’, ‘Bling (Confession Of A King)’ and of course, bona fide earworm ‘Mr Brightside’. Driven by the phenomenal Ronnie Vannucci on the drums, the band began the highly-anticipated track with a laser-led low-key remix before launching into the radio edit, delivering the anthemic tune and the stirring chorus to the loudest crowd Mt Duneed Estate has ever seen.
In those final minutes of the monumental two-hour set, we all came out of our cages for every sing-along we’ve been a part of in the last two decades coming together, and it was nothing short of glorious.
“We love you. We don’t get to do this without you,” Flowers beamed to the crowd signalling the final moments.
“It has been four crazy years but we are still The Killers”.
With verve and exuberance perfectly compatible with the live stage, a plethora of iconic hook-laden pop hits, impressive background visuals and lights, and a frontman capable of wresting every micron of energy out of his band members and the crowd to boot, The Killers reminded us exactly why they’ve been an enduring presence within the 21st-century rock landscape.
If you regrettably missed seeing The Killers in Geelong, tickets are still available for Tuesday and Wednesday Melbourne shows at Rod Laver Arena. Tickets via www.frontiertouring.com
