LOCATION: UIC Pavillion - Chicago, IL
DATE: January 20, 2009
Brendan Flowers brought the Killers music to life in a show that was equally as good as the last time they came to town at the Sears Centre two years ago. In fact, hearing the entire Day and Age album live makes me rethink my review boosting the CD from its 3 out of 5 rating to a 4, equal to Sam’s Town and Hot Fuss.
M83, a synth French group, opened the show with a collection of synth pop and new age styles that gave a hint of the 80s, as well as a euphoric earthiness that makes one think of those relaxation albums of waterfalls or nature like sounds. The sound was a softer sound with heavier synthesizer that was a great lead in for a band like The Killers that infuses their sound with a modern 80s synthesizer to complement their music.
The Killers played all songs from Day and Age and intermixed their hits from their other two albums, as well as Shadowplay from Sawdust, their B-sides and remix release. The stage consisted of palm trees and a zebra-like flooring with a digital backdrop used for video projection and various lighting effects. No video screen was used. During “Neon Tiger,” they draped the background with a tiger-like curtain that helped in the realization that the flooring was tiger-like and not the zebra originally assumed.
With almost no crowd interaction between songs and no use of audience singing to keep the concert goers interested, The Killers rely on their music to entertain. Flowers’ use of the stage with his passionate movements while singing, and the great original sound make The Killers a band one to see live each time they come to town.
Photos and Review by: Josh Wheeler - Contributing Writer
