The Killers slay ’em at the Pete
This wasn’t your typical Sunday night. And this isn’t your typical band. The Killers brought their solid set to the Peterson Event Center, making for an unforgettable night of rock ’n’ roll.
“Sunday nights aren’t supposed to feel like this. You know that, right?!” frontman Brandon Flowers told the jam-packed crowd. It was a night filled with a mix of their greatest hits and new favorites.
Fans have been craving this show for a while, having been postponed twice, dating back to October 2021. It was also the first time The Killers played Pittsburgh in 10 years. They made up for it and more, giving the crowd a powerful set of songs.
The nine-piece band, which includes founding members Flowers and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. on drums, and three backup singers, has a lot of muscle these days. When the lights went down, the crowd went nuts. Flowers was dressed in a lavender blazer and black pants while the rest of the band was dressed in black.
The first 45 minutes was insane in the best way. They kicked off the show with “My Own Souls Warning,” a standout single from their 2020 album “Imploding the Mirage.” Flowers fed off the energy of the crowd, switching up the lyrics to the chorus to “I just wanted to get back to Steel City PA,” followed by confetti shooting out into the crowd.
From there, Flowers got on the piano and played the intro to “Sam’s Town,” which segued into a rousing rendition of “When You Were Young.” Fans near the stage jumped in the air, throwing their hands to the lyrics. Noticing the excitement in the crowd, Flowers said, “Pittsburgh, how the hell are you?”
The set featured standouts from the “Hot Fuss” era, from the classic “Jenny Was A Friend of Mine,” with green lasers shooting over the crowd, to “Smile Like You Mean It,” which had Flowers leaning over the platform at the front of the stage.
One of the more interesting song choices was “Shot At The Night,” released on their greatest hits album. The background singers sounded amazing, their vocals echoing through the building. The
crowd danced along, out of their seats. That’s another thing. The crowd (around my section, at least) stood the entire time.
Next up was one of their biggest radio singles, “Human,” sending the crowd into a pogoing frenzy. Another “Day & Age” favorite, “Spaceman,” featured furious drums and cool synths.
“Put your hands together!” Flowers yelled. “I love Pittsburgh,” he said.
The entire band sounded incredible throughout the night. “Somebody Told Me” shot off like a rocket, with red lasers over the crowd, the bass pounding through the walls and vibrating the floor. Vannucci on the drums went into another world, playing out of his mind.
This was followed by their most recent hit, 2022’ s “Boy,” which sounded incredible live. Another cool moment was the acoustic performance of “Runaway Horses” off their 2021 LP “Pressure Machine.”
The band went back into high gear going into “Runaway.” Flowers walked from end to end of the stage, the crowd singing every word. You could feel the energy in the building. Next was “Read My Mind,” a classic song from “Sam’s Town.” Toward the end of the song, Flowers leaned over the platform toward the crowd and sang the chorus to “Lean on Me.”
From 2020’s “Imploding the Mirage,” they ripped through “Dying Breed” followed by “Caution,” which featured a guitar solo by Ted Sablay with pyro lighting up the stage behind the band. Now that was a rock ‘n’ roll moment.
Sablay also opened the show with a set of originals. Openers The Lemon Twigs followed with a raucous and melodic set of jams, switching instruments along the way.
There’s always a standout moment at any show. During The Killers’ set, it is “All These Things That I’ve Done.” The song has become the cornerstone of The Killers’ set since it was released in 2004. They build it up, stopping midway to let the crowd sing, “I’ve got soul but I’m not a soldier,” then burst into the chorus while canons of confetti shoot into the crowd.It doesn’t get any better than that.
The encore featured “The Man,” and the night ended with a blast of “Mr. Brightside.” Fans went ballistic to the famous guitar riff, passionately singing the lyrics, while the lights flashed to the pounding bass and drums.
“We’re The Killers from fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada,” Flowers said as the fans yelled for more. It was a big ending for a band that likes to do it big. It’s the only way, proving that the wait was more than worth it.