The Killers are back in Australia celebrating twenty years since ‘Hot Fuss’ was released, but as a treat Sydney is getting two nights of the band and tonight is a ‘Royal Diamonds’ show which will showcase all the bands hits and more. It’s been a while since I’ve seen The Killers so this should be a lot of fun.
Radio Free Alice opened the show tonight with an awesome groove and a great sound I dig these guys. Oh my god a saxophone!! I mean if that doesn’t scream a good Friday night then what does?! Some potential here, some great hooks and hope to see these guys develop and progress over the coming years.
The curtain is surrounding the stage and we’re getting ready to start. The place is full and the lights go down as the k lights up at the front of the stage. Introing Rebel Diamonds the curtains open as they launch into ‘Read My Mind’ and they sound great. What a way to start and you know this gonna be great. Oh no way. Straight into ‘Somebody Told Me’ and the place erupted. Bloody hell what a start to the show. It was hilarious as the song ended and the arena went black to see a sea of phones be lowered. I mean that was everyone’s introduction to the band so to hear it this early was a treat. ‘Spaceman’ is next and they keep the vibe going. With some crowd singalongs they close it out and the hits are just gonna keep coming. An introduction and ‘Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine’ and that groove. Wow. Then as the guitar rings in and ‘Smile Like You Mean It’ begins and these songs are just damn good. That outro was amazing. They got a little bit heavy there and I’m here for it. Oh man I love this one!! ‘Shot At The Night’ truly is once in a lifetime tonight and being here is the perfect way to spend a Friday night. I promise I won’t say “what a song” after every one but it’s hard as these are all absolute bangers. Some amazing crowd waving looked great and some singalongs before ‘Dying Breed’ and that bass groove is what this band are so good at, that damn hook.
‘Running Towards a Place’ keeps the tempo up and after a breather and some fun banter the synth kicks in for ‘On Top’ and after those two Brandon tells us all that “we didn’t come here to pacify, we came to electrify” testify!!! It’s time for ‘The Man’ and confetti explodes and what a song. That was a big one and everyone loved that one. A slow piano introduces ‘A Dustland Fairytale’ and as phones light light up the arena it’s magical. Things stay slow for ‘Be Still’ and that was outstanding. I think that is close to my favourite of the night. The tempo goes straight back up for ‘Runaways’ and this catchy one is a perfect live song. The keys drone as they talk about first coming here in 2004 and how over twenty years this next song has gotten better and it’s ‘All These Things That I Have Done’ and wow. He’s right. As the crowd decides to sing the “I got soul but I’m not a soldier” part early and Brandon loved it. Wow. Amazing band introductions and the place is lapping everything up tonight.
‘When You Were Young’ is easily my favourite Killers song and here it is. Everyone is on their feet. I feel like as much as everyone loves the first few hits of the band, when this one came along on ‘Sam’s Town’ that people really took notice of the band and it stuck with them. Brilliant song. ‘Caution’ followed and included an amazing guitar solo. No way, they’re doing ‘Don’t Change’ by INXS Wow what a cover of one of my all time favourite songs. Did it justice to no end. The band leave the stage and as the crowd starts to chant they return with surely only a few to go. ‘Your Side of Town’ smashes its way in quickly followed by ‘boy’ with more confetti and that Killers groove driving it along. Damn these are good songs. ‘A Little Respect’ gets a spot in the set and that was awesome. Time for ‘Human’ and what a song that is, everyone is on their feet and still completely mesmerised by this band.
Closing with of course ‘Mr Brightside’ and starting with an electric version which was oddly confusing but so satisfying before that all familiar riff hits and they absolute belt out the song and the crowd lapped up every second of it and yelling it back to the stage. What a song and at twenty years old you’d think it was brand new. Refraining with “I got soul but I’m not a soldier” before closing out the song and leaving the stage.
What a show. Simple as that, but a little more… The Killers are a sensational band you really should see live, they absolutely deliver and tonight they smashed it so far out of the park you can’t even see the damn park. If I didn’t have something on tonight I would’ve been straight back for round two and the ‘Hot Fuss’ show. So those going, enjoy it for me please.
Wow.
Essential Information
Venue: Qudos Bank Arena – Sydney
Date: December 6, 2024
Website: www.thekillersmusic.com
Set list:
Read My Mind
Somebody Told Me
Spaceman
Jenny Was a Friend Of Mine
Smile Like You Mean It
Shot At The Night
Dying Breed
Running Towards a Place
On Top
The Man
A Dustland Fairytale
Be Still
Runaways
All These Things That I’ve Done
When You Were Young
Caution
Don’t Change
Your Side Of Town
Boy
A Little Respect
Human
Mr Brightside
