The Killers took the American Express stage Sunday night of the Austin City Limits Festival. Throughout a charged hour-and-a-half set, the group played 15 songs across six albums and two Willie Nelson covers.
Sporting a black bedazzled pinstripe suit and a slick combover, frontman Brandon Flowers opened the show with Elvis-sounding vocals singing Nelson’s “Whiskey River” — a performance complete with a massive Texas flag displayed on screen. After a warm country welcome, the band shifted into tracks that felt more The Killers’ speed.
“That was a nod to your neck of the woods,” Flowers said. “Here’s one to ours.”
Melting guitar shrieks blasted into a debut album hit, “Somebody Told Me,” to which the audience screamed along. Flowers lapped the stage, a trek that would last most of the show, as fiery lights shot in different directions.
The stage transformed into a sunset for “When You Were Young,” after which Flowers readdressed the crowd to the intro of “Smile Like You Mean It.” He said Austin City Limits was born in 2002, the same year The Killers was being formed in Las Vegas.
“Everybody knows you need a little bit of time to cook before you reach your full potential,” Flowers said. “I believe that is happening right now at Austin City Limits.”
One of the only tracks he stood still for, Flowers sang the entirety of “Smile Like You Mean It” from behind a giant “K” placed center stage, playing a keyboard tucked away behind it.
Flowers encouraged audience engagement during several songs. He asked attendees to turn on phone flashlights for “A Dustland Fairytale,” led call-and-response moments during tracks like “For Unknown Reasons” and called for hands up on several occasions.
Slowing the tempo down again, the group transitioned into another Nelson track, “You Were Always on My Mind.” A comparatively quieter track, John Summit’s DJ set at the T-Mobile stage became faintly audible.
Keeping the Nelson thread running, Flowers introduced the twelfth track of the night.
“Willie Nelson did not like this song,” Flowers said. “But we wrote this song and we’re damn proud of it. It’s called ‘Runaways.’”
For a faux exit, the Nevadan lead singer took off his blazer and rolled up his sleeves before launching into “All These Things That I’ve Done.”
“I’ve got a soul, but I’m not a soldier,” the audience sang in unison.
Following the closing tracks “Spaceman” and the highly anticipated “Mr. Brightside,” Flowers saluted the crowd and ran off stage, but the band kept going. Lights flashed at the audience as the drums and guitar surged to a peak, then stopped abruptly.
Drummer Ronnie Vannuccie Jr. took out his earplugs, taking a moment to look out at the audience, then delivered a pounding drum solo. Even as the sound was eventually cut, he played on, refusing to let the moment end.
