Live: The Killers @ Petersen Events Center
Finally, after being postponed twice — once before tickets even went on sale due to COVID and a second time for undisclosed reasons in October — The Killers took the stage in March at Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center, 892 days after originally scheduled.
The band played a fan-pleasing, career-spanning setlist packed with everything from their earliest hits to their newest recordings, opening with “My Own Soul’s Warning,” then, appropriately, the short but sweet “Enterlude” from sophomore album Sam’s Town, with lyrics about band and fans enjoying their brief time with the band. “We hope you enjoy your stay,” frontman Brandon Flowers sang, poised behind an infinity-symbol-emblazoned keyboard. “It’s good to have you with us, even if it’s just for the day.”
For being their debut album and nearing 20 years old — its anniversary is next year — Hot Fuss received plenty of attention, with “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine” and “Smile Like You Mean It” back-to-back early on and even more to follow, including “Somebody Told Me.” Songs were occasionally paired together by album, such as the aforementioned Hot Fuss tracks, as well as “Human” and “Spaceman” from Day & Age. During Sam’s Town’s “Read My Mind,” Flowers snuck in a few lines of Bill Withers classic “Lean On Me.”
The band ended their set, somewhat surprisingly, with Hot Fuss cut “All These Things That I’ve Done,” with fans belting signature line, “I’ve got soul but I’m not a soldier,” with gusto.
Flowers carried most of the energy of the concert, his showmanship on full display throughout the night as he paced the stage and worked the crowd, his strut particularly appropriate during encore “The Man,” backed by images of nude statues.
Musicians, take note: if you want to get a crowd even more hyped up, launch some confetti in the middle of your opening song, then again two more times at the end of the show. Confetti rained down on the crowd as enduring hit “Mr. Brightside” played as the very last song of the night and laser effects filled the arena, proving why The Killers are such an enduring band.
