Killers rock sold-out Civic

‘I only like their first album’ read the slogan on the back of merchandise man’s t-shirt in the foyer.

Ironic or not, there’s a suspicion that The Killers will remain in the shadow of Hot Fuss for some time yet, despite the critical acclaim of follow-up Sam’s Town.

To be fair, songs from that second collection sounded far better live, stripped of the cluttered over-production of the studio.

When You Were Young got things moving early on and the set list cleverly worked in older tracks just as the new material started to get stodgy.

Brandon Flowers is an enigmatic frontman, part Jarvis Cocker, part Michael Barrymore with his gawky knock-kneed style and likeable persona.

The rest of the band were Strokes-lite clones and it remains to be seen whether a show that depends so much on Flowers’ charisma can carry off bigger venues like the NEC next year.

Still, they made an effort with the props and lighting and the intimacy of the Civic won over an enthusiastic sell-out crowd long before the end on Saturday night.

Mr Brightside closed the set and encore All These Things That I Have Done is without doubt one of the catchiest songs of the past decade, leaving the audience tunelessly bellowing along every word.

It’s not confidential, they’ve got potential alright.

By Keith Harrison