Killers' Brit-flavored pop brings Roxy to life
If the Killers appreciate the irony of being an American band influenced by Brit pop who first gained notice in the UK, they must be exulting now that they're inciting a British Invasion-style furor at home. The fervor of their fans was clear as the Las Vegas-based quartet inspired screams and floor shaking dance moves at the sold-out Roxy on Thursday night with an energetic set featuring most of their 2004 debut, "Hot Fuss."
The mood was dark and sophisticated for the Duran Duran-flavored dance rock number "Midnight Show," which found singer Brandon Flowers looking dapper in a white jacket and vest as he nailed the swooping high notes. Even more elegant pop songs, such as "Smile Like You Mean It," on which Flowers demonstrated a vocal suppleness and ironic inflection that recalled Morrissey, and "Change Your Mind," which featured bright, sinuous keyboards, had crowd members shouting and dancing with their hands in the air. The slinky menace of "Andy, You're a Star," which Flowers said he wrote about an old friend, was enhanced by a dramatic echo effect on his vocals.
The band's most devoted fans knew the words to "Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll," a slouchy, riff-filled number brimming with high-spirited fun that was released only on the UK version of the band's debut. But the crowd's mania peaked when the Killers closed the set with their first single, "Somebody Told Me," a glossy, Blur-like ode to gender confusion.
The band returned for an encore with the sexy, seedy "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine"; Flowers looked sharp in a dress shirt and vest as he playfully sang into the ear of guitarist David Keuning. The keyboards hovered during the buildup that launched the triumphant pop glory of "All These Things That I've Done."
The night of pitch-perfect pop was kicked off by the lovely, jangling indie rock of the New York City-based quintet Ambulance LTD, who delivered harmony-laced songs with big riffs and subtle humor, and by the Norwegian addition to the Brit pop fest, the female-fronted band SurferRosa.
The Killers
At: the Roxy, Thursday night
