The Killers Kill the Garden

The+Killers+performed+at+Madison+Square+Garden+on+Friday%2C+Jan.+19.

Courtesy of Rob Loud

The Killers performed at Madison Square Garden on Friday, Jan. 19.

Amelia Reardon, Staff Writer

The Killers headlined the famed Madison Square Garden on Friday, Jan. 12 for the concert of a lifetime.

“It’s no secret that we love coming to [New York],” frontman Brandon Flowers told the audience. “This is one of those rooms that’s on everyone’s checklist.”

Opening act Alex Cameron warmed up the sold-out venue with a set reminiscent of David Bowie’s discography. The Killers followed with a high energy set that set the tone for the night with pink confetti falling from the ceiling during their second song, “The Man.”

Stadium concerts can be unpredictable. You can oftentimes glance around the arena and see members of the audience looking less than enthralled by performers, but this was not the case Friday night. There was not a single person exempt from the head bobbing induced by the bone-vibrating bass and catchy melodies. The go for broke audience jumped up and down, danced with strangers and passionately yelled the lyrics in a thunderous chorus that meant Flowers could stop singing at any moment without the song missing a beat. The mood was dynamic throughout the night as the audience reacted to the versatility of the setlist.

With slower and more somber songs, like “Dustland Fairytale,” the room was cast with celestial light as crowd members held up their illuminated cell phones. More of the Killers’ classic upbeat songs, like “Human” and “All These Things That I’ve Done,” amped up the audience with vibrant lights and even more confetti blasts.

After the dust had settled, the band left the stage as piles of streamers and confetti were cleared off the stage. During this time, the audience was given a chance to breathe and give their vocal chords a much-needed break. After a moment, the band returned to the stage for an encore. Flowers made a wardrobe change, sporting an all gold-metallic suit and a pair of aviator glasses.

The energetic encore included “When You Were Young,” causing the stadium to fill with a sea of voices passionately echoing the band staple. The energy didn’t waver as the first notes of “Mr. Brightside” followed and hummed through the air. With an impressive light show to accompany the band’s most well-known song, the energy of the room was at its peak.

As the final notes died down, the time had come for the band to actually leave the stage. Drummer Ronnie Vannucci, Jr., the last left on the stage, slowly made his way to the microphone and told the audience, “I hope you all had a good time, and if you didn’t, tell no one.”

 

Email Amelia Reardon at [email protected].