The band are ready for their massive arena trek next year
The Killers released their sixth studio album Imploding The Mirage back in August of 2020. Despite no tour to support it, the album performed well, hitting No. 8 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart. With live music at a standstill, the band uncharacteristically wasted no time getting to work on the follow-up. The result was Pressure Machine, which arrived almost exactly a year later to the day on August 13 and once again topped the Rock Albums chart.
The capacity crowd grew anxious when the band was over 30 minutes late to the stage in throwback Guns N’ Roses fashion. They finally kicked things off with “Dying Breed” from their last album Imploding The Mirage that never saw the light of the stage. After pulling out their classic hit “Somebody Told Me” from their seminal debut LP Hot Fuss, it was clear the audience felt this show was worth the wait.
The Killers played a balanced set, pulling material from all seven of their studio albums. Highlights included “Sleepwalker,” “Smile Like You Mean It”, “Runaways,” “A Dustland Fairytale,” the sing-along song “All These Things I’ve Done,” and many more. They closed out the set with “Caution.”
The encore began with a gorgeous live debut of “Runaway Horses” from their latest studio effort. The final two tracks of the night were “Mr. Brightside” followed by “When We Were Young.” Die-hard and casual fans a-like couldn’t script a better ending to a Killers show. The stage was showered in pyro as the crowd screamed every word.
The Killers are pure slice of Americana. Just like music icons Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and others, their songs tell a story. One could close their eyes and actually visualize the pictures that the lyrics paint. There’s something to be said about a song that can take you on a mental magic carpet ride for a few minutes.
There’s a novelty t-shirt floating around that says, “I may be old, but I saw all the great bands.” One can only imagine that list includes the likes of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, The Who, Pink Floyd, Queen, and The Rolling Stones, among others. I can’t say for sure who all is included on the modern-day version of this list, but The Killers definitely have their place on it secured.
The Killers roll an hour and a half down the Pennsylvania turnpike tomorrow night for another intimate show at Franklin Music Hall in Philadelphia before their headline performance at Firefly Music Festival in Delaware this weekend.