Live Review: The Killers

21 January 2013 | 12:05 pm | Mat Lee

Mr Brightside exploding into the Metro with houselights still on, Flowers getting a look at the sold-out room singing his lyrics back to him.

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A late addition to the bill, Sydney-based Steve Smyth kicked off proceedings and didn't hold back, delivering a handful of ripper blues-flavoured indie rock tunes. The bearded muso's beautifully raspy voice slid up the scales of falsetto, and despite being backed by his electric guitar and a drum kit – his a cappella performances were the most memorable, with the crowd cheering for the talented, albeit almost misplaced, support.

From shaggy to slick, Brandon Flowers led The Killers onstage to an insane ovation, the band returning after a three-year absence from Aussie shores. And what a way to start, Mr Brightside exploding into the Metro with houselights still on, Flowers getting a look at the sold-out room singing his lyrics back to him. It's no surprise a band from Las Vegas can entertain, with the touring six-piece unleashing a flurry of stellar singles with joy – Smile Like You Mean It, Spaceman and Human all getting an airing within the first six tracks, and it didn't stop there.

In total, The Killers gave their fans a break twice during ballads Here With Me and A Dustland Fairytale, but overall they barely allowed anyone to catch a breath before playing their massive repertoire of classics.

Somebody Told Me flew in halfway through the set, strobes and lasers ablaze, followed by the rousing lovefest and call and response of For Reasons Unknown. Without mentioning the whole set, Read My Mind, When You Were Young and Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine were all smashed out by a grinning Flowers, who was clearly having the most fun. They closed the night with the spine-tingling All These Things That I've Done, the cries “I've got soul but I'm not a soldier” completing 90 minutes of Killers excitement, leaving fans in a mess of exhaustion and disbelief – a near perfect performance.

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