The Killers Give England A Memorable Night At O2
The Killers Give England A Memorable Night At O2
Brandon Flowers, one of this century’s iconic frontmen, emerged from behind the floor-to-ceiling curtains of The Killers’ diamond-shaped O2 Arena stage. His energy, undiminished over a 20-plus year career, set the tone for an unforgettable evening. Clad in a red blazer, Flowers was both showman and world-class vocalist, ready to transport London to the casinos of their hometown, Las Vegas.
The O2 as a Stadium-Worthy Extravaganza
The production was nothing short of spectacular. The floor was carpeted, the screens towering and glitzy. The O2 transformed into a stadium-worthy immersive extravaganza. Established festival headliners and arena-slayers, The Killers matched Billie Eilish’s six-night run – a feat few guitar bands achieve these days.
Setlist Highlights
From the soaring “When You Were Young” to the ominous synths of “Smile Like You Mean It,” The Killers delivered hit after hit. “Read My Mind” and “All These Things I’ve Done” had the crowd chanting along, their centrepiece chant (“I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier”) as brilliant as ever. Even with some big hitters held back for future nights, The Killers gave more bang for your buck than any other modern band.
The Grand Finale: “Mr. Brightside” Lights Up the Night
Decked out like a Vegas gambler’s paradise, The Killers ended their Rebel Diamonds tour with the timeless anthem, “Mr. Brightside.” As the confetti rained down, they emerged from the O2 as unequivocal winners.
The Killers treated fans to an unforgettable setlist. Here are some of the highlights:
- “Sam’s Town” (Tour debut)
- “Enterlude”
- “When You Were Young”
- “The Way It Was” (Brandon gave a speech to mark American Independence Day during the bridge)
- “Somebody Told Me”
- “Smile Like You Mean It”
- “For Reasons Unknown” (with crowd member Jenny from London on drums)
- “Dying Breed”
- “Bling (Confession of a King)” (Tour debut)
- “American Girl” (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers cover; first time live since 2019; with “Free Fallin’” outro, played to mark American Independence Day)
- “Caution” (with “Rut” segue)
- “Runaways”
- “Read My Mind”
- “Your Side of Town” (stripped version)
- “Andy, You’re a Star”
- “All These Things That I’ve Done”
Encore: 17. “Pressure Machine” 18. “Human” 19. “Mr. Brightside” 20. “Exitlude” (with band introductions)
