Tag: Ronnie Vannucci

Big Talk 7/21/15

Posted on Posted in Los AngelesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

  1. I’ve Been Sentimental Lately
  2. Neon’s Not Enough Light

(b) highlights

  • yoooooo, the babes killed it on live TV!!!
  • the dresses, the make-up, the hair, wow wow wow
  • Jimmy Kimmel is kind of hilarious and super cool talking to the audience during breaks
  • just being there! I got tickets super last minute (thx RVJ)
  • I’ve seen the Killers several times on Kimmel, but always outside, never actually in the studio so it was cool being in there

(c) lowlights

  • they should’ve played like 8 more songs, or 50 more, either one, whatever

(d) overall thoughts

TV performances can be annoying, or super cool – this was definitely the latter. Big Talk dressed in drag, Jimmy Kimmel was low-key hilarious, this was a solid freaking way to spend my vacation. Getting to be in the studio and watch both the aired and unaired performance was awesome. Love everything about this whole band and project and music, the end.

Bottom Line: Ronnie Vannucci is better than you.

I’ve Been Sentimental Lately:

Neon’s Not Enough Light:

Big Talk 7/20/15

Posted on Posted in Los AngelesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

  1. What Happened to Delisa?
  2. La Rue D’Awakening
  3. White Dove
  4. Getaways
  5. Hold That Line
  6. Animal Husband
  7. The Void
  8. Cocktail Party
  9. What The Night Can Do
  10. I’ve Been Sentimental Lately
  11. Living In Pictures
  12. Replica
  13. Anything That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers cover)
  14. Another Satellite
  15. Neon’s Not Enough Light

(b) highlights

  • the band kiiillllllled it – probably my favorite show of the second album tour
  • RVJ, does that even need to be said at this point, I wonder
  • the Troubadour just has an awesome set up – killer sound, great lighting, solid stage set-up
  • the crowd was so much better than the night before – people were actually moving and dancing to songs that had only just come out that day
  • lines like, “Oh, the mic is hot. This band is hot.” ” we’re Big Talk and we’re from Malaysia!” “Old Pinkie (the guitar) is out of tune.”
  • I took probably my favorite photos at a show ever! mostly due to the Troubadour’s lighting and set-up, thx Troubs.

(c) lowlights

  • really really really wish I could’ve heard “Katzenjammer” live just once

(d) overall thoughts

This show felt like the perfect set-up for the band to shine. Ronnie was totally “on” all night, the audience was receptive, and every song just felt like so much fun. It made me so happy that it finally felt like people were getting what the Big Talk schtick is.

The Troubadour is freaking cool and every show there feels special. The stage juts out a bit like a diamond and there’s a beautiful balcony that overlooks the space. The production level was higher than previous shows, which – along with other factors – really highlighted the performance aspect of the band. While San Diego felt like a jam-band session, this gig was all about performance. Whether that was with in-between song jokes or really letting the new songs breathe, this felt like a show. Ronnie Vannucci basically needs his own comedy hour at this point, and everyone else at Big Talk plays their role well. A part of me wishes Big Talk would do a full tour, even just 10 cities or so, just so they can really get into a rhythm and mix up the setlist; it’s in variety and different circumstances that Ronnie most shines, I believe.

After the show, I talked with other Big Talk and Killers’ fans, which was cool, and chatted again with Ronnie and Taylor – basically the best dudes of all time. Full stop. Period. I will fight anyone who disagrees that Big Talk isn’t awesome and definitely hurt anyone who says anything against those dudes, but oh wait, no one can say anything bad about them or has because they’re wonderful, the end.

Bottom Line: I love Big Talk, I love Ronnie, I love Taylor, I love all of them, I love Big Talk and Straight In No Kissin’, and I just can’t help it.

Big Talk 7/19/15

Posted on Posted in San DiegoTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

  1. What Happened to Delisa?
  2. La Rue D’Awakening
  3. White Dove
  4. Getaways
  5. Hold That Line
  6. Animal Husband
  7. The Void
  8. Cocktail Party
  9. What The Night Can Do
  10. I’ve Been Sentimental Lately
  11. Living In Pictures
  12. Replica
  13. Anything That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers cover)
  14. Another Satellite
  15. Neon’s Not Enough Light

(b) highlights

  • RVJ, duh
  • that setlist!!! finally got to hear some older Big Talk songs I missed on the first go-around
  • getting to chat with the guys; there is no sweeter person on Earth than Taylor Milne, I swear to God
  • the Casbah is basically a bar – so tiny and so intimate; I get Bunkhouse vibes from it

(c) lowlights

  • there was an asshole drunk heckler yelling during, before, and after songs who I actually had to yell at – who even does that?? at a small intimate show?? go home.
  • the crowd was subdued – why why why why do you pay to go to a concert to not move, why why, I will NEVER understand this

(d) overall thoughts

I was super lucky to even be at this show. My brother was getting married later in the week, so I got to fly back home to LA and took a quick train down to San Diego to see Big Talk. The show was stupidly intimate and small – it was pouring outside and I swore you could hear the rain pattering outside in between songs. The stage was barely a foot off the ground, so you were RIGHT there during the performance. It was freaking cool.

Last time around seeing Big Talk, they played the entirety of their new album Straight In No Kissin’ with one old song, so I was pretty psyched to hear classic tracks like “Getaways” and “Replica,” among others. The newer Big Talk album still hadn’t been released at this point (it came out the next day!), but I still strangely felt so familiar with all the new music. A mix of Tom Petty, perhaps even the Beach Boys, and the usual Big Talk sound combined to make that good ole fashioned rock ‘n’ roll. Ronnie’s voice worked perfectly with those tunes and it was clear that all the guys played well together; wordless head nods and seamless transitions gave off a solid jam-band vibe to the show.

The crowd was objectively sub-par and I think the band was kinda down about it, but it was no bother. Everyone killed it, I had a great time, and even got to chat a bit with the guys. Ronnie vaguely prepared me for a coming surprise for their Jimmy Kimmel performance later in the week, and Taylor chatted a bit about the setlist and songs he liked. Couldn’t ask for nicer dudes and more enjoyable tunes.

 

Bottom Line: Big Talk are freaking awesome and I will literally murder you if you interrupt Ronnie Vannucci Jr. while he’s speaking on stage, bye.

Note: I took roughly a million photos, didn’t edit any of them, none of them are perfect, but I put them up because they were my experience and that’s cool. You’re welcome.

The Killers, Cold War Kids 6/21/15

Posted on Posted in DelawareTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(i) lineup

(1a) Cold War Kids
(2b) The Killers

(1a) (Cold War Kid’s) setlist

  1. All This Could Be Yours
  2. Miracle Mile
  3. One Song at a Time
  4. We Used to Vacation
  5. Audience
  6. First
  7. Louder Than Ever
  8. Hot Coals
  9. Hang Me Up to Dry
  10. Minimum Day
  11. I’ve Seen Enough
  12. Drive Desperate
  13. Hospital Beds
  14. Something Is Not Right With Me

(1b) highlights

  • seeing Cold War Kids in a festival setting for the first time
  • realizing that the token Cold War Kids’ intimacy and jam session-vibe live isn’t lost on a massive stage; their passion and fun was completely still there
  • the setlist killed and the crowd was totally into it

(1c) lowlights

  • apparently their piano broke before the last song? the band was down about it, but admitting full ignorance here, I totally did not notice

(1d) overall thoughts

When you’re standing in the sun all day, waiting at the main stage for the headliner to come on, you’re willing to sit through some garbage acts. Luckily, thank god, I didn’t have to deal too much with that because my Cold War Kids played a mid-day set and totally killed it. Their newer material from the album Hold My Home really resonated with the audience and I was happy they had such a good-sized crowd. Their passion and live fervor didn’t get lost in the open field and on the big stage; in fact, it gave them more room to move around and let the songs breathe a bit. So many mid-level bands phone in festival performances when they aren’t at the top of the bill, but Cold War Kids don’t deal with that mess. They showed up, performed super well, and definitely made more fans that day.

Bottom line: Seeing Cold War Kids is always a complete joy, and seeing them for an hour in the middle of a Delaware field on the hottest and longest day of the year was no different.

(I’m in this pic!)

cwkfirefly1
Photo by: Ilya S. Savenok

(2a) (The Killers’) setlist

    1. Mr. Brightside
    2. Spaceman
    3. The Way It Was
    4. Smile Like You Mean It
    5. Bling (Confession of a King)
    6. Human
    7. Somebody Told Me
    8. Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival cover)
    9. The Bucket (Kings of Leon cover)
    10. For Reasons Unknown
    11. From Here On Out
    12. A Dustland Fairytale
    13. Use Somebody (Kings of Leon cover)
    14. Read My Mind
    15. Runaways
    16. All These Things That I’ve Done

Encore:

  1. This Is Your Life
  2. When You Were Young

(2b) highlights

  • “This Is Your Life” is always such a beautiful song and wonderful experience live – Brandon gets the crowd to wave their hands before the last bridge and it’s so freaking beautiful every time
  • seeing The Killers front row at huge festivals with gigantic crowds is always a memorable experience; it’s so great seeing how far they’ve come from their little Vegas roots

(2c) lowlights

  • Kings of Leon’s set was cancelled the day before at Firefly because of the weather; The Killers thought it would be cool to cover a few of their songs so people could still see them; I liked Kings of Leon’s first two albums but haven’t liked anything they’ve done in awhile; I paid to see The Killers, not Kings of Leon, but whatever
  • the band came on late, why why why are they always so damn late
  • I was so tired and it was so hot and the weekend was so long, I kinda lost it at different parts of the set

(2d) overall thoughts

I’ve seen The Killers headline many festivals many times and even though this wasn’t one of my favorite experiences, I know I can’t complain because it was really solid performance. Most of my complaints have little to do with the band and mostly to do with the circumstances (namely, the weather was awful and the Firefly promoters were pretty damn disorganized all weekend, which sucked for a lot of us). So, I’ll just say this: being front row at a festival where your favorite band is headlining and closing out the weekend playing an awesome set is kind of a dream. The Killers were showmen, added so much to the experience, and I got to hang out with all my friends seeing great live music all weekend. What more could anyone ask for?

Bottom Line: Being a part of 30,000 people waving their hands in the air during “This Is Your Life” is probably one of the best feelings ever, and also Kings of Leon are passed their prime so let’s stop giving them a spotlight please thanks.

Note: I took photos of both Cold War Kids and The Killers but my phone malfunctioned at the end of 2015 and for some reason, all the photos from this weekend were lost except this one below.

20150620_214653

The Killers 6/20/15

Posted on Posted in New JerseyTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

    1. Mr. Brightside
    2. Spaceman
    3. The Way It Was
    4. Smile Like You Mean It
    5. Bling (Confession of a King)
    6. Human
    7. Somebody Told Me
    8. Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival cover)
    9. The Rising Tide
    10. Shot at the Night
    11. For Reasons Unknown
    12. From Here On Out
    13. A Dustland Fairytale
    14. Be Still
    15. Read My Mind
    16. Runaways
    17. All These Things That I’ve Done

Encore:

  1. Uncle Jonny
  2. Jenny Was a Friend of Mine
  3. When You Were Young

(b) highlights

  • UNNNNCCCLLLLEEEE JJJOOONNNNNNNNYYYYYYYYY!
  • “Be Still” – “dedicated to the fans” – WOW
  • seeing “The Rising Tide” live for the first time; it’s a song rarely played live that really needed its moment to shine, and it definitely shined here
  • the entire show felt so special with so many unexpected moments; I constantly felt like my heart was going to burst
  • the part when I was having such a good time and going crazy that my phone in my pocket posted a Facebook status, called three people I haven’t spoken to in years, changed my clock to military time, and changed wifi networks
  • Ronnie Vannucci in tiny Atlantic City shorts, byeeeeeeee
  • did I mention they played Uncle FREAKING Jonny for the first time since 2007!!!!!

(c) lowlights

  • Borgata Festival Park is the worst place on Earth, never go there ever, please do not give them money; their security guards are pointless, rude, idiotic, and waiting for this show was one of the worst experiences e.v.e.r.

(d) overall thoughts

Saying the weekend of June 18th-21st was an adventure is a bit of, uh, an understatement. My friends and I spent the 18th and 19th in Delaware at the Firefly Festival, the 20th in Atlantic City in New Jersey, and went back to Firefly on the 21st. I would definitely not recommend doing that if anyone is considering it…

Anyway, the wait and line for this show was a nightmare beyond belief, but none of that ultimately mattered. It was so hot, so sticky, so New Jersey, but damn, this show was like a sneak attack in the end – no one saw it coming, but it ended up being one of the best Killers shows I’ve ever seen. Sometime toward the end of 2014 and for a lot of 2015, I mentioned time and time again to my friends (and anyone who would listen) that The Killers should play one of my favorite songs live, “Uncle Jonny.” They hadn’t play it live since 2007, but they did it. They freaking played it and I totally lost it. Before that, that played “The Rising Tide,” a virtually forgotten track on their last full album Battle Born. It was never forgotten by fans, so hearing it live made it so energized and brought another part of that album alive for me.

Perhaps the most emotional moment for everyone dropped with “Be Still.” For honest to God the first time ever, the band acknowledged the hardcore fans who travel from everywhere and have been following The Killers for a long time. Brandon dedicated “Be Still” to all those people – which obviously includes myself – so hearing one of my favorite Killers song ever along with that dedication was a truly meaningful and poignant moment for me and all my friends. And I will forever be incredibly thankful for that. The Killers were still technically on “hiatus” at the time, so seeing them without a real album to promote and just playing together at a random casino in New Jersey was unexpectedly wonderful.

Bottom Line: Pretty much the only reason I continue to drag my ass to Atlantic City to see The Killers is because, every once and a while, an incredible and memorable show like this one drops and makes everyone’s hearts burst.

Big Talk 5/26/15

Posted on Posted in Las VegasTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

    1. Hold That Line
    2. Animal Husband
    3. What Happened to Delisa?
    4. La Rue D’Awakening
    5. Cocktail Party
    6. I’ve Been Sentimental Lately
    7. What The Night Can Do
    8. All My Luvin’
    9. White Dove
    10. The Void
    11. Another Satellite
    12. Neon’s Not Enough Light

(b) highlights

  • seeing Ronnie Vannucci play in Las Vegas is just as awesome as it sounds
  • the in-between song banter never fails to entertain: “there’s a lot of hot ladies in here tonight….onstage.”
  • the Hawaiian shirt game was very strong
  • chatting before the show was next-level amazing; Ronnie is great, Taylor is so so sweet, Brooks is so cool

(c) lowlights

  • the show started late and I had to catch a flight immediately after, so that was stressful

(d) overall thoughts

Caught a quick flight to Vegas from LA to see Big Talk again, and hot damn, was it a good time. It was hot as hell, but waiting outside was so worth it when Ronnie brought out water and snacks to the line (my heart), and definitely worth it to hang out in the courtyard pseudo-desert-garden area of the Bunkhouse Saloon. The show definitely felt like a hometown show in a lot of ways even though Ronnie hasn’t lived in Vegas for awhile, if only for all that Killers-in-Vegas history.

The setlist was exactly the same as the night before, which might sound like a bad thing, but it honestly wasn’t. Again, we didn’t have an album at this point. We pretty much had one single and that was it, so to hear all those songs again and really grasp the garage-band-y vibe of it gave more context. “I’ve Been Sentimental Lately,” “All My Luvin’,” and “What The Night Can Do” were immediate stand-outs aside from the lead single “What Happened to Delisa?” and I still dig those songs a lot to this day. The newer songs fit right in with the debut album in my opinion, even though Ronnie mentioned a couple of times that he disliked the older songs. If I had to guess, I think that opinion is mostly informed by the first album’s production; RJV was adamant about Straight In No Kissin’ having a less slick and more gritty sound to it, and the band certainly accomplished that in more ways than one. The crowd dug a lot of it and I felt very lucky to have witnessed that show.

Bottom Line: The Bunkhouse Saloon was the perfect environment for Big Talk to perform their newest album in Vegas; gritty songs with pop-y melodies fit best in dingey cowboy bars on a hot desert night.

Big Talk 5/25/15

Posted on Posted in Los AngelesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

    1. Hold That Line
    2. Animal Husband
    3. What Happened to Delisa?
    4. La Rue D’Awakening
    5. Cocktail Party
    6. I’ve Been Sentimental Lately
    7. What The Night Can Do
    8. All My Luvin’
    9. White Dove
    10. The Void
    11. Another Satellite
    12. Neon’s Not Enough Light

(b) highlights

  • I don’t even know where to begin….the whole fucking day. the entire day was a highlight. all of it.
  • meeting Ronnie Vannucci and Taylor Milne before the show started, and making jokes and laughing with them for like 20 minutes – a dream
  • the entire show from beginning to end, the end
  • after the show ended, the band stuck around to chat with everyone and gave me and my friend who waited all day big bear hugs, what a perfect day

(c) lowlights

  • n o t h i n g

(d) overall thoughts

 

So. Instead of writing a novel no one wants to read, I guess I’ll sum up this day and show with this: do you ever just have these out-of-body experiences where everything falls together so, so well that you have to believe that it’s all a dream? Like, an actual dream that involves you eventually waking up? That was this day. From beginning to end.

I flew out to California for a friend’s wedding, so catching this show right before the festivities began was like fate. To every human who remotely knows me knows that I love The Killers to death and Ronnie Vannucci is one of my favorite people ever. I never got to see Ronnie’s side project Big Talk during their first album tour in 2011, but I’d loved the music immediately.

Magically, Ronnie and his Big Talk bro Taylor Milne came out to chat with a few of us in line. Many memorable quotes were said and good times were had by all, but I’ll keep those close to the chest. Ultimately, Big Talk performed almost entirely new songs (what a ballsy freaking move that is, right?) for their first performance in over four years and it freaking rocked. What else is there to say? Their new album hadn’t even been released yet and they presented it with style, grace, and announced it would be called Straight In No Kissin’. Ronnie used a guitar pick with a picture of his dog Archie wearing a jetpack on it. I mean, come on. What a band.

Bottom Line: The only thing better than hearing a bunch of solid as all hell tunes is knowing that the dudes playing it don’t really care what anyone thinks and just wanna have fun. Admirable and impressive, to say the least.

The Killers 4/7/16

Posted on Posted in Las VegasTagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

    1. Midnight Show
    2. Somebody Told Me
    3. Change Your Mind
    4. Bones
    5. Shadowplay (Joy Division cover)
    6. Human
    7. Glamorous Indie Rock ‘n’ Roll
    8. Uncle Jonny
    9. Read My Mind
    10. Runaways
    11. All These Things That I’ve Done
    12. On Top
    13. When You Were Young
    14. Mr. Brightside

(b) highlights

  • literally just BEING THERE; I was outside of the venue, sitting on the fake lawn they set up in front of a screen and next to a bar; it was AMAZING
  • “Midnight Show” = first time they played it since 2007; me = DEAD
  • “On Top,” the end.
  • having just seen the band at the most memorable show ever at the T-Mobile Arena to two hours later watching them totally tear down this super tiny Vegas joint was pure magic

(c) lowlights

  • it would’ve been amazing to physically be in the bar, but I never would’ve dreamed of leaving the arena show early; I’m so glad I stayed and could even be on the Bunkhouse grounds at all, so…no actual lowlights

(d) overall thoughts

Fifteen minutes into The Killers’ performance at the T-Mobile Arena (see previous post), they tweeted that they’d be performing a midnight aftershow at the tiny Bunkhouse Saloon in Downtown Las Vegas. A couple of my friends had anticipated the band would be up to such antics, so we smiled, rolled our eyes, and had fun at the arena. Some fans left the show to get to the Bunkhouse and set up camp, but we stayed. The moment the arena show ended, we drove the 5 or so miles Downtown and found at least 500 people already in line. The space inside the physical Bunkhouse was full, but the garden area was still open with a screen to watch the inside, have drinks, eat food and all that.

Magically, somehow, by the grace of God, we got inside the garden and set up camp in front of the screen, exhausted but elated to even be there at all. I had envisioned sitting on the sidewalk and listening to the show from across the street, but this was better. How many bands in the world would go from selling out a 20,000-person venue to immediately playing a bar that barely holds 200 right after just for the fun of it? It was such a memorable night and iconic event that it almost felt damn-near magical as I lied on the fake grass, closed my eyes, and listened to songs I’ve heard a million times but never fail to excite me.

 

Bottom line: Everything about that night was unreal, but being a part of the band making history was the cherry on top.

The Killers 4/6/16

Posted on Posted in Las VegasTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

    1. Mr. Brightside
    2. Spaceman
    3. The Way It Was
    4. Smile Like You Mean It
    5. Bling (Confession of a King)
    6. Shadowplay (Joy Division cover)
    7. Human (w/ Blue Man Group drum battle)
    8. Somebody Told Me
    9. Glamorous Indie Rock ‘n’ Roll
    10. Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry cover) (w/ Wayne Newton)
    11. For Reasons Unknown
    12. A Dustland Fairytale
    13. Can’t Help Falling in Love (Elvis Presley cover)
    14. Read My Mind
    15. Runaways
    16. All These Things That I’ve Done

Encore:

  1. Shot at the Night
  2. Jenny Was a Friend of Mine (w/ Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons)
  3. This Is Your Life
  4. When You Were Young
  5. Viva Las Vegas (Elvis Presley cover)

(b) highlights

  • Blue Man Group drum battle with Ronnie Vannucci, I WAS DEAD
  • by far the best production of any Killers’ show I’ve ever seen; it was festival-level production…and then some
  • just being there at the T-Mobile Arena. in Las Vegas. for the opening night. wow.
  • Jimmy Kimmel introducing the band onstage via video
  • the “Shadowplay” laser light cage
  • the Back to the Future shoutout before “Johnny B. Goode”
  • “Can’t Help Falling in Love” cover was precious and fitting
  • Ronnie Vannucci Jr.
  • the entire goddamn encore from beginning to end
  • Vegas vomitting up everything it had during “Viva Las Vegas” (Showgirls? Cirque de Soleil dancers? Wayne Newton? Carrot Top? Gigantic balloons? Amazing.)

(c) lowlights

  • watching Wayne Newton was probably the most uncomfortable performance I’ve ever seen
  • the band should’ve played “Sam’s Town” but IT’S FINE
  • crowd could’ve been better, but I’m reaching – the show was INCREDIBLE

(d) overall thoughts

In case anyone on Earth doesn’t know, The Killers are from Las Vegas and, boy, are they proud about it. I’ve seen the band a couple of times in Vegas before, but never quite like this. It was a special night. Everyone knew it was gonna be special before it even began. The trip to Vegas was like going to Mecca for me and my friends – we stopped by all the usual local Killers-related spots to do stupid things on par with going to Abbey Road and crossing the street like the Beatles-type of nonsense. We waited in line for literally two days to be front row for the show because, well, The Killers are our favorite band and they were opening a brand new arena in the town that’s been the backdrop of their music and emotional upbringing. Of course we were gonna be there. And we weren’t the only ones.

I had heard all the songs they played before, and heard all the speeches, but every song was brought to a fuller life with the jaw-dropping stage production. The towering Battle Born emblem, laser light cage, flames, confetti, balloons – it all felt so very Vegas and very The Killers. It’s funny how we often remember so many strange details of shows after they’re done – this one particular line during a song, a moment when a band member did something funny, a time when the lights looked cool – but whenever I think about this Las Vegas show, I remember all of it. I remember Brandon Flowers’ sparkling blazer lapels glistening in the lights, Ronnie Vannucci’s damn-near incredible drum battle versus three members of the Blue Man Group, Dave Keuning walking through and around the green laser lines that shot up from the floor to the ceiling during “Shadowplay,” and how Mark Stoermer uncharacteristically smiled when Wayne Newton came out to play “Johnny B. Goode.” I remember my friends’ joy catching confetti as it fell from the rafters during “All These Things That I’ve Done” and feeling the heat of the towering flames during “When You Were Young.” I remember that elation of feeling the entire crowd lift their arms and wave them back and forth, back and forth, during “This Is Your Life.” I remember how we all gleefully hit the gigantic balloons toward the stage at the Jubilee show girls and Carrot Top, who was present because…Vegas. Most of all, I remember the feeling of being part of such a quintessential Vegas show on a momentous night for the band, having formed right there in that city roughly 14 years prior. And I hope I never forget it.

Bottom line: Some shows you never forget, and this was one of them.

To check out some incredible shots by a professional and crazy cool awesome guy, photog Erik Kabik took the best pictures of the night, most of which are featured here.

Bonus Material!

Video of Ronnie Vannucci Jr. vs. Blue Man Group ❤

 

The Killers 4/3/16

Posted on Posted in ArizonaTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

    1. Runaways
    2. Spaceman
    3. The Way It Was
    4. Smile Like You Mean It
    5. Bling (Confession of a King)
    6. Shadowplay (Joy Division cover)
    7. Somebody Told Me
    8. Human
    9. Glamorous Indie Rock ‘n’ Roll
    10. Uncle Jonny
    11. Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry cover)
    12. For Reasons Unknown
    13. A Dustland Fairytale
    14. Read My Mind
    15. All These Things That I’ve Done
    16. Mr. Brightside

Encore:

  1. Shot at the Night
  2. Change Your Mind
  3. When You Were Young

(b) highlights

  • Glamorous Indie Rock ‘n’ Roll (!!!!!!!!)
  • one of the best opening bands The Killers have ever had: The Struts. LOOK. THEM. UP. [They were so good that half of the Killers, their crew, and a bunch of others literally came out on the stage wings to watch. Like, WOW.]
  • Uncle Jonny – the way the band has extended the outro before the final verse = HEAVEN
  • Johnny B. Goode was so rad, especially with The Struts’ lead singer
  • “desert people”
  • Ronnie Vannucci Jr.
  • the entire damn show, as always

(c) lowlights

  • the band played On Top the night before – that would’ve been a cool addition here
  • every day I pray for Believe Me Natalie, my god, do I pray for that song live
  • pretty much nothing, to be honest

(d) overall thoughts

I’ve seen The Killers a lot. Like, a lot. They’re my favorite band of all time and I’ve been consistently seeing them live since 2005. I’ll never not love them and will defend them until the ends of the Earth, so hearing people say things like, “Hot Fuss is their only good album” and “‘Mr. Brightside’ is their only good song” makes me want to projectile vomit. My friends and I flew to Tempe, Arizona from NYC for their warm-up show in preparation of opening the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, their hometown.

It’s difficult to thoroughly talk about this band without getting emotional and blabbering, but this scrapbook is about the memories. And my memories were this: they were amazing. As always. They sounded perfect. As always. They looked perfect. As always. This was one of their first real shows in about 8 months; Brandon Flowers spent most of 2015 preoccupied with his second solo album, The Desired Effect, and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. kicked around a second album Straight In No Kissin’ with his side project bros Big Talk. Despite the time away, it appeared that nothing had been lost in term’s of performance quality. As always.

Bottom line: I waited in line for about 21 hours to see my favorite four guys and I would/probably will do the whole thing again. They were perfect, as always.