There is no band more ready for the bright lights and big cities of rock 'n' roll than the Killers. This conglomerate of pop-savvy fashion boys has captivated the masses with a sound that infects the aural senses and ignites a burning desire to shake it. With the latter-day resurgence of '80s synth-heavy pop, the Killers have found a home on the radio and a place in the spotlight. Hate them or love them, this band will likely bring the Big Easy to its knees during its sold-out show next Thursday night.
The Killers burst onto the national scene after the band's uber-catchy single "Somebody Told Me" exploded onto the radio waves last year. The tide of success and stardom has increased exponentially over the last year and shows no signs of letting up.
Fashioned out of four musical refugees moonlighting in the back kitchens of Las Vegas restaurants, the Killers' inception was one of chance as well as fate. The band first gigged overseas, building a fan base and developing their persona, subsequently returning to the embracing arms of the States and continuing to pick up speed. After their debut album Hot Fuss (Island) became widely discovered and heavily rotated, the band began to be seen and heard everywhere.
Individual band members combine to form a cohesive collective. The prominent placement and organic quality of guitarist Dave Keuning's sound adds a tangible quality to the synthesized overtones of vocalist Brandon Flowers. The seamless interplay between bassist Mark Stoermer and drummer Ronnie Vannucci provides a soundtrack for shaking your derriere and gyrating to the undeniable rhythms. Flowers' classic yet unrefined vocal style compliments the palette of new wave sounds and straight-ahead rock stylings of the arrangements. His croon drives home the unfulfilled yearnings of a man who is haunted by insecurity and has an uncanny knack for the unfortunate.
This band has had its moment in the sun, but don't assume the Killers are last week's next big thing, fated for a one-sentence entry in the book of popular music. Quality songwriting, the ability to ease in and out of genres and the success of Hot Fuss make the Killers prime candidates for a sophomore effort that could prove it to be a group with staying power. And while many popular artists are about elaborate stage shows and homogenized adherence to a proven ideal, this band dishes up honesty packaged with a danceable backbeat.
The Killers play the
Big Easy on Thursday, April 28, at 8 pm. All ages. This show is sold
out.
