Here's my street cred. Take it.
According to the uberhipster attitude that has infiltrated the minds and Chuck-wearing soles of youth music culture, the iPod is a club, and The Killers are not on the guest list. At least not on the guest list you show your friends. From catfights with The Bravery and Fall Out Boy, to declarations that new album 'Sam's Town' is "one of the best albums of the past 20 years," The Killers have often made it difficult for fans to pledge their undying allegiance. Peruse the 'comments' sections of many of today's popular indie blogs, and you will discover myrid so-called music lovers typing away about Brandon Flowers as if he's the music industry's Alex Rodriguez. All the talent, all the money, all of the looks, but none of the cred.
With all of that being said, I entered last night's secret show at Webster Hall with a bit of confusion. Is this a waste of a perfectly good Friday night in New York? Were the stories of The Killers blowing the doors off their shows at the Bowery true? Should I have grown a mustache this week?
These questions, and many more, were answered IMMEDIATELY when The Killers took the stage a little past 9:15pm. The stage set-up was a smooth turn-back-the-clock casino / carnival setting, where a two-pistol-toting criminal could've strolled through a pair of saloon doors at any moment. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Brandon Flowers had hired the costume designer from 'Tombstone' to perfect his look (which fits seamlessly with the new record's image), whether you like it or not. From the first chord struck and the first bar of lyrics belted through the microphone, it was obvious that Webster Hall couldn't hold this band. It would be like U2 playing your backyard instead of Giants Stadium. Regardless of your musical taste, one fact should be impossible to dispute: The Killers sound BIG. The air tight rhythm behind Flowers aptly sets the stage for his anthemic vocals and undeniable stage presence. His marriage to the mic and pronounced pacing of the stage is more representative of a possessed televangalist than the frontman for your average rock band. This is a way of saying that Flowers and The Killers are more than you think. Maybe it's the Vegas in them, but these confident bandmates have clearly studied the art of performance, and always play with a card up their sleeve.
The sold-out crowd was treated to many tracks off the new record, including "When You Were Young," "Uncle Jonny," and "Bones," and brought to exaltation by 'Hot Fuss' favorites "Somebody Told Me," "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine," "All These Things That I've Done," and "Mr. Brightside" amongst others.
Now that I'm making my guest list of the new albums making their way through the doors of my iPod, Sam's Town is an easy choice. If "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" is the best rock song you never talk about with your friends, I'm talking to you. Fork over the money to see The Killers on their upcoming tour, and see for yourself.
