To the Brixton Academy, on Saturday night, to see the 21st century’s answer to Shed Seven: The Killers. It was a particularly crowded academy, too, and there was a palpable sense of expectation in the air when we arrived. Somehow we managed to squeeze into a spot down the front just in time before the band took to the stage, but in the event it probably wouldn’t have mattered where we had been located in the venue–at most gigs there is a clear divide between the excited few energetically enjoying themselves at the front, and the crossed-armed masses nodding their heads and tapping their feet at the back. On Saturday night The Killers did away with all that–for most of the gig it seemed as if the entire standing audience was merrily jumping up and down in unison.
I suppose that means that The Killers specialise in unchallenging, crowd-pleasing indie guitar pop. Then again, I like unchallenging, crowd-pleasing indie guitar pop. All of which made this one of the most enjoyable gigs I’ve seen for a long time.
The ghost of Rick Witter lives.