Access Atlanta > Arts > Our Reviews > Archives > 2006 > December > 19 > Entry
The Killers at Philips Arena Dec. 18
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By Phil Kloer
pkloer@ajc.com
Small, dark and handsome, Brandon Flowers of The Killers is one strangely charismatic lead singer. He took the stage at Philips Arena Monday night for 99x’s sold-out Mistletoe Jam dressed in tight black pants, black vest and a glittery white sport coat that would have been borderline cool in a Vegas lounge in 1966.
With his close-cropped hair, pencil-thin moustache and spry, jittery dance steps and hand flourishes, he looked like a riverboat gambler dandy who was busting out his inner Bobby Darin Watch it now! Here he comes! All of this while maintaining a perfect poker face — well, the band is from Vegas.
It was quite a change from their last show here, playing in a downpour at the last Music Midtown (sob) in 2005. Then Flowers seemed a lot more repressed, and with only one CD (“Hot Fuss”), the Killers felt a lot more of a one-note band. Now they’ve opened up their sound with follow-up “Sam’s Town” that owes more to basic American heartland rock. Even though Flowers is completely the focal point, the musical crunch comes from Dave Keuning on guitar, Mark Stoemer on bass and drummer Ronnnie Vannucci, who was separated at birth from Earl Hickey on TV’s “My Name Is Earl.”
The Killers concert was a make-good from earlier in the month, when Flowers got sick and had to postpone. Tickets were $9.97, an amazing bargain at at time when concert ticket prices are suffering from inflation that outpaces Weimar Germany.
The crowd turned the hits — “Mr. Brightside,” “Somebody Told Me,” “When You Were Young” — into shoutalongs, with their new Christmas song, “A Great Big Sled,” saved for the encore, on a stage loaded with more than 20 Christmas trees. Flowers wished the crowd a merry Christmas, and pretty much left it at that — patter is not his strong suit — but screaming along to “I’ve got soul but I’m not a soldier” was gift enough for all.
(Note: The AJC didn’t shoot photos at the concert, but here’s a link to a gallery shot the night before in New York. Click here to see it.)
Permalink | Comments (14) | Categories: Pop Music
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By Melinda
December 19, 2006 10:26 AM | Link to this
Yeah, it was pretty much amazing.
By Killer Fan
December 19, 2006 10:29 AM | Link to this
Phil - thanks for the review. I’m a big Killers fan and really enjoyed the show (although, at 33, I’m probably the upper end of the age group!). One thing that was very noticable, was that the new tracks from “Sam’s Town” are much more suitable for an Arena environment than those from “Hot Fuss”. Some of the newer songs are anthem-like and really worked well at Phillips. Although he is definitely quirky, Brandon Flowers has a cool stage presence that is pretty captivating. It will be cool to see how the band evolves in the next couple of years.
By Hamilton
December 19, 2006 10:47 AM | Link to this
I went to the show with high expectations, and they surpassed everything I hoped for. Amazing show. Best show of the year, hands down.
By Zack
December 19, 2006 11:01 AM | Link to this
Everything was fantastic except for the sound. Did everybody else want to kill that producer with all that feedback? Maybe somebody wants to ground everything in the fugure?
By Older Killer Fan
December 19, 2006 12:00 PM | Link to this
Sorry Killer Fan. At 50, I have you way beat for the high end of the upper end of the age factor. Killers are great, and it was a Killer show!
By Older Killer Fan
December 19, 2006 12:03 PM | Link to this
Sorry Killer Fan. At 50, I have you way beat for the high end of the upper end of the age factor. Killers are great, and it was a Killer show!
By David
December 19, 2006 1:02 PM | Link to this
Hamilton…i guess you didn’t go to 311 or RHCP concert this year…too funny..
By King JEC IV
December 19, 2006 1:07 PM | Link to this
The Killers are an amazing band! And yes Zack, I wanted to kick the producer in the ‘nads for all of that feedback. It ruined an otherwise stellar performance.
By Sarah
December 19, 2006 2:39 PM | Link to this
I wanted to kick the producer for all the feedback as well, but other than that, the show was amazing. I love those boys.
By Phil Kloer
December 19, 2006 3:10 PM | Link to this
Hi, this is Phil blogging back in. Sorry, you young punks of 33 and 50, I have you both beat for Oldest Killers fan. And that’s all Im gonna say on that account! I didnt hear much feedback where I was standing, which was pretty much right in front of the stage. And I agree that Sam’s Town may be a little more arena-friendl than Fuss. But “All These Things That I Have Done,” done right (and it sure was done right last night) is as arena-friendly as anything Bono and his boys ever cranked on.
By Christina
December 19, 2006 3:11 PM | Link to this
The Concert was AMAZING!!!! It was the best concert I’ve ever been to, and I was in the front and could touch the stage. I cried, screamed my heart out, just about broke some bones (hehe) and overall had the best time. I thank 99X for putting the concert together and I love that it was a success. cc
By gloria
December 19, 2006 4:32 PM | Link to this
well i for one am a little miffed that i paid $80 for tickets to this show, then the killers’ performance was rescheduled and tickets were sold for $10. why couldn’t they have done that the first time around??? $80 for what should have cost $20??
By greg
December 20, 2006 10:07 AM | Link to this
I’m a 49 year old Killer fan and after their dissapointing performance on SNL last fall I didn’t expect a lot. But, they were truly great, right up there with the best shows at Philips this year. Their “wall of sound” was amazing! This band was born for arena rock. Glad I went back for Mistletoe Jam 2!
By moodyg
January 2, 2007 3:44 PM | Link to this
I didn’t attend this concert as I was far away at the time but they did just play here in Philly before this show…and as always, they sounded amazing! I’m in my 30s as well, but I don’t think age has a thing to do with Rock and Roll friends, just ask Mick Jagger and those like him who are still doing their thing. The Killers are awesome and I’m glad that Sam’s Town is taking off despite critics not giving it a fair shot. I knew time would prove to all the naysayers that the Killers are top notch. It’s nice to like a band that they are actually playing on current mainstream radio…never thought I’d be saying that…; )