The Killers

They inspire life... In fact, it's like their music kills the negative and frees your spirit so you can live on in peace.

That's what they did for me.

Last night's show at the Los Angeles Sports Arena elevated me. It showed me how deeply this band and their music impacted my life. It's almost like they raised me to a certain point of life, and now need to leave me on my own....to grow. 

I cried a lot... unsure about saying goodbye. I wonder if they even know what type of effect they implant into people with their music. They are glorious!

They played a long set and I had a good seat, "Arena Risers"....comfortable.
They played "Bling, confessions of a king".
This is the song of a champion who wants to help people... Facing foes and fears. This was my own battle song in 2007, as I drove up the mountain, leaving the city for the desert, to the other side to save my parents...from their poverty, loneliness, disconnection from the world.

These were hard times...

Sandstorms welling in buckets, and silent screams of the chiseled plain. I'd cry for their peace. I'd cry for their deliverance.

The Killers played a special song, acknowledged the city of angels (many times -- it's always amazing to hear your city being called by the band you love -- that's your personal "Hello") ... Brandon told us that they hoped Sin City wouldn't corrupt us... :) Ha! Also -- he was saying that Las Vegas has a unique flavor... and so did LA. He appreciated the uniqueness in all of us in that moment. I can really appreciate that.

Then the band played "California Girls"! How awesome to hear a song I grew up on by The Beach Boys...probably the 1st band that I ever really liked and followed, and an homage to us girls -- individually! I felt so special!  It seemed that only a few people recognized the song at first... Most at least knew the chorus.

They played a lot from their first album, Hot Fuss:
Jenny was a friend of mine
Somebody told me
Mr. Brightside

Smile like you mean it

They also played quite a few from Sam's Town:

For reasons unknown
When we were young
The Sam's Town Enterlude "We hope you enjoy your stay"

From Day and Age:

A Dustland Fairytale

Human

Spaceman

From Battle Born

Miss Atomic Bomb

Runaway

plus quite a few more from the new album :)

Omg! I screamed hard when they started playing Shadow play!!!! That song is the best!!!! A band inspired, clearly, by Joy Division... they played this song in shadow the whole time, which was really cool. This was the only song played from Sawdust (probably my FAVORITE album, but they all rank).

BTW -- Brandon Flowers' voice, just the way he speaks, is epic! He has this swagga in his voice that will forever keep him in good company with the likes of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Tennessee Ernie Ford... good company. 

Might I add that there was another special song they played...not too many people knew it surprisingly...but they sang "I think we're alone now" ... Brandon said they were going to steal it back (from Tiffany), who originally stole it from Tommy James and the Shondells. That was pretty fun to hear. 

Ronnie Vannucci Jr. , the drummer, kept our hearts beating all night... Leaving us with a message of love as he left the stage -- last, at the real finale, and made a heart symbol with his hands. They gave us a bit of their soul, I could feel it. I was so moved. The guys even gathered center stage and bowed together --- holding hands, embraced... camaraderie, appreciation for the journey.
This moved me because it showed me how much they loved us and each other.

The way Brandon introduced the band was super sweet and very humble... No ego here. He is a frontman with soul! As he introduced the band, he mentioned the feeling pounding into your heart and body shaking your core... He said he felt it too, and that it was just Ronnie playing. Then he said, "You know all the vibrations that you are starting to feel in your special areas", that it was OK, he feels it too... it's just Mark Stoermer's bass. :) 

Then when he introduced his lead guitarist, he said "It was no hologram or hallucination", that it was really Dave Keuning, right here and now. He hugged him for a while... Embraced the moment.

The Killers are back, and so so strong!

Yes, there were more tears... But I was soaring and happy.

The laser show was spectacular! Also, Brandon shared a bit of his own pain, as we learned that A Dustland Fairytale was written for his mother...whom he lost, but he then said, "There isn't a grave deep enough to keep my mother out of my equation." 

The equation that answers: Mother + Father + (life experiences) = Brandon Flowers (balanced/happy).

This put things in perspective for me...

Having lost so many people at a young age... my youth and theirs...pain that lured me to The Killers even more... now I realize our bond was meant to be as I understand the positivity and beauty they put out there...comes from personal experiences. 

They are a real band. 

They are The Killers, whom I love. 

Thank you for such an experience last night. While I was alone, I felt like I could touch you and see your smiles just for me. 

You have my heart.

~ Jessica M. Wilson

your fan forever

in homage to Writers before me, a lineage I appreciate: