the killers– Edmonton, May 23, 2007
the killers played Rexall Place in Edmonton on May 23 2007 and I got a ticket at the last moment to see them. I like the killers but I wasn't really looking forward to attending by myself. I don't enjoy watching a film alone and this concert was the same.
I guess it's sort of like "If a tree falls in the forest and nobody's there to hear it, does it make a sound?". Actually there were about 12000 people there so I wasn't alone exactly but you get the idea.
Overall I thought the concert was ok. Things I liked:
- The production. It was excellent right from the start of the show which opened with a slideshow/montage of images from the cover of Sam's Town and the Las Vegas area including joshua trees and big-horn sheep.
- The coloured foil ticker-tape cannons fired off periodically.
- The lighting rig and backdrop work that did a good of giving songs an individual feel.
- Brandon Flowers' wild-west sheriff's outfit right down to the snake skin boots, handlebar moustache and bolo tie.
- Brandon Flowers playing bass in For Reasons Unknown.
Things I didn't like:
- Not being on "The Floor". If I get a choice I will choose that in future (I didn't get a choice this time).
- The sound was a bit oppressive. It wasn't so much that it was loud (and it was) more that it wasn't sufficiently clear to make the instruments and vocals distinct. It did improve somewhat by the time they reached Somebody Told Me (the 5th song) but I guess the failing was Rexall Place's rather than the sound engineer's.
- That they'd reworked Joy Division's Shadowplay beyond recognition. In fact it was only after the show and some research I discovered that's what it was which is demonstrative of not only the reworking but also the aforementioned sound quality.
- That Brandon Flowers didn't chat with the crowd. I always enjoy hearing an anecdote or two from bands about the songs or about things in general.
I'm pleased I went but I don't think I'd go to another killers show. it was too by the book and impersonal
Set List
- Sam's Town (ST)
- Enterlude (ST)
- When You Were Young (ST)
- Bones (ST)
- Somebody Told Me (HF)
- Smile Like You Mean it (HF)
- Jenny Was A Friend OF Mine (HF)
- Uncle Johnny (ST)
- Read My Mind (ST)
- On Top (HF)
- Read My Mind- piano solo (ST)
- Bling (Confession of a King) (ST)
- Mr. Brightside (HF)
4 minutes of loud clapping until the éncore
- My List (ST)
- Can't Take My Eyes Off You (Frankie Valli)
- Shadowplay (Joy Division)
- For Reasons Unknown (ST)
- All These Things That I've Done(HF)
- Exitlude (ST)
- When You Were Young (ST)
Total running time 80 minutes (approx)