[Review] The Killers @ Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne 13/12/2022
It wasn’t quite the summers night we were expecting but the fans turned out in force united by their love of music. The wait had been long, four very long years in fact, but the time had arrived, and The Killers were playing in Melbourne for the first of two capacity shows at Rod Laver Arena on their Imploding The Mirage tour. Hot off the back of their open-air show at Mt Duneed Estate Geelong which wrapped up to rave reviews, I was keen to see what all the fuss was about. Plenty had turned out early to nab a prime position, myself included, and I was thankful I did, as the crowd started packing in swiftly behind me.
Opening the coveted support slot was Alex Cameron who was looking the goods in his three-piece suit and definitely gave off the Brian Ferry vibes. Strutting through a 45 minute set he kept the fans entertained with lots of cheeky banter, endlessly reminding us of this sax player and business partner Roy Molloy and his backing vocalist/keyboard player Jess Parsons. He was shown plenty of appreciation from the ever-expanding crowd as he belted out songs such as Miami Memory and Sarah Jo. A terrific addition that had RLA singing along was a cheeky cover of Island’s In The Stream which was very well received. Having co-wrote quite a few tracks with The Killers he was quite comfortable on stage and had plenty of fans up front singing along to his songs.
Feeling well warmed up it was time to move on to the main event, the one we were all waiting for, Las Vegas rockers The Killers! The anticipation was building and the energy quite frenetic as the lights dropped to squeals of delight and the band filled the stage. Bursting out bringing the stage to life was vocalist Brandon Flowers was straight to it with My Own Soul’s Warning followed closely by Interlude. The stage was awash with lights, projections on the giant screens and confetti cannons turning Rod Laver into quite the spectacle as we were coated in the colourful offerings as they descended in slow motion. When You Were Young got the floor bouncing and showed just how tight The Killers are as a live band, Brandon making use of every corner of the stage as he delivered the mega hit with gusto. There was no time for chat between songs, packing in as much as they could in their allotted time, Jenny Was A Friend of Mine, Smile Like You Mean It and Shot At The Night flying out in rapid fire.
Human was coupled with intriguing videos on the big screen, covered with tiny boxes filled with dancing figures it was quite captivating. Spaceman really hit the mark with Brandon easily making the transition from keyboard to launching off risers in a heartbeat. Engaging with the crowd on every level, and ripping out that stunning smile on autopilot, Somebody Told Me turned up the heat with red lights, smoke machines and lasers cutting a wicked picture across the stage, the energy was palpable in the arena as the floor moved as one collective group. Runaways gave us all a chance to catch our breath before we all welcomed a sing-a-long of “we can’t wait ‘til tomorrow” on repeat as Brandon told us to “think about it” it felt like a special moment and one I was glad to be a part of.
Another huge hit was Caution off the 2020 Imploding The Mirage album, this came complete with the whole rear of the stage igniting in sparklers projected out via baby smoke cannons, this was not just a feast for your eyes it was a whole banquet and we could not get a seat at the table quick enough. All These Things That I’ve Done had all our voices primed and ready for ‘I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier’ which echoed back across Rod Laver as the masses didn’t miss an opportunity to be involved in this amazing spectacle as green and gold confetti exploded over us. With a speedy exit from the stage, it was time to start the chants and clapping to draw them back out, and it didn’t take long as they returned with The Man. With the arena on their feet, it was a glorious encore as the confetti cannons shot out million-dollar bills with Brandon’s picture showing he really is ‘The Man’ and of course I pocketed a few for prosperity’s sake. Bling (Confession of a King) from Sam’s Town was next up then the one we had all been waiting for Mr Brightside. Starting with a slower remix of the song I was left wanting but not for long as they jumped into the OG radio version and boy oh boy did Rod Laver erupt. Hands in the air, punters bouncing in unison, it was the perfect end to a spectacular live show and I now see why The Killers are one of the worlds biggest bands.
If you are yet to catch The Killers DO NOT miss this opportunity there are just a few shows left on the tour, so get out and see some live music and I guarantee the memory will make you Smile Like You Mean It for years to come!
Wed 14 Dec, 2022 Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne – Lic. All Ages
Sat 17 Dec, 2022 Hope Estate, Hunter Valley – Lic. All Ages
Mon 19 Dec, 2022 Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney – Lic. All Ages
and newly announced intimate show
Mon 19 Dec, 2022 Liberty Hall, Sydney – 18+
Tickets available: https://www.frontiertouring.com/thekillers
