The Killers performed a stellar show in Los Angeles at Banc of California Stadium on Saturday night, featuring special guests Lindsey Buckingham and Johnny Marr, but the most touching guest of the night was a fan named Joel. Joel held up a sign saying he knew how to drum “For Reasons Unknown.”
Brandon Flowers then invited him onstage, and it became known through his shirt that he is a third grade teacher battling cancer. Ronnie Vannucci Jr. switched to guitar alongside Dave Keuning, with Brandon Flowers playing bass for the emotional performance. Joel fit in seamlessly despite “For Reasons Unknown” seeing Brandon and Ronnie play different instruments.
The rest of the show was phenomenal, with guitarist Dave Keuning, who is on his first full scale North American tour with The Killers since the Battle Born era, adding his trademark touch to Imploding the Mirage songs he was absent on in the studio, like “My Own Soul’s Warning” and “Fire in Bone.”
Brandon Flowers stopped “Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine” early on to have an unruly violent fan kicked out, with Flowers joking that the fan was probably on acid. The band then picked up the song like they had never stopped. New single “Boy” was another highlight of the night.
Johnny Marr joined for “This Charming Man” during the main set, indicating another guest was likely for the encore. Lindsey Buckingham joined for “Caution” and “Go Your Own Way,” with Marr coming back out for “Mr. Brightside” in a conclusion to the second best Killers show I’ve ever been to. I’ve seen the band 9 times in the last 15 years (Sam’s Town tour was an all time greatest show), and the return of Dave Keuning has definitely energized them. Go see The Killers on this tour if you haven’t, as they are at the top of their game.
