It all began with “Mr. Brightside” and Hot Fuss in 2004. It was a new sound, something I hadn’t heard before, and when Sam’s Town came out two years later, I knew The Killers were a different sort of band and I was going to love them indefinitely. Then came Sawdust, Day & Age, and Battle Born, and then there were Brandon Flower’s solo albums – Flamingo and The Desired Effect – and now we have Wonderful, Wonderful.
What is this kind of music anyway? Rock, yes. But some songs take me five or six tries to fully embrace them. I don’t get the melody or the lyrics are strange. (That’s Brandon Flowers for you.)
Sure enough, once they’re embraced, it’s concrete. I’ve run hundreds of miles to the sound of The Killers.
Short of one song I’d love to hear live (“Miss Atomic Bomb“), they played everything I hoped they would.
From “Dustland Fairytale” and “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine” to “When We Were Young” and “Mr. Brightside,” even “Run for Cover,” my favorite on Wonderful, Wonderful, I sang along to every single word. I loved it. I. LOVED. IT.
(Other songs on the playlist – “Human,” “Read My Mind,” “Somebody Told Me,” “Spaceman,” “The Way It Was,” “I Can’t Stay,” “Smile Like You Mean It,” “For Reasons Unknown,” “Rut,” “Runaways,” “All These Things That I Have Done,” “The Calling,” and “This River is Wild” – which is a huge favorite!)
The encore was the most fun. They’d left the stage so we could lure them back. Instead of lighters, we held up our cell phones. I couldn’t believe we produced enough light to illuminate the entire arena.
They were back on stage for four more songs, and we lost our minds all over again.
Brandon Flowers was notes away from losing his voice, but the crowd was on fire. We were thunderous. We sang the words for him. How could we not?
I don’t go to a lot of concerts, but when I do, it’s for my favorites (and with my favorites).
