The Killers @ NEC

Feb 19 2007 By Diane Parkes, Birmingham Mail

TWO years is a long time in pop music.

In 2005 the Killers were headlining the NME up and coming bands tour and now they are playing a sell out NEC With a Brit for Best International Group under their belt this week you would have expected the Killers to be triumphant.

Instead lead singer Brandon Flowers spoke very little and didn't mention the award at all.

With a Las Vegas introduction complete with flashing lights and glitter falling from the ceiling, the Killers launched into Sam's Town and then worked their way pretty much through the album of the same name with highlights being singles When You Were Young, Bones and Read My Mind.

En route they stopped off at their debut album Hot Fuss for a host of favourites including Mr Brightside, Smile Like You Mean It and Somebody Told Me.

While it was an enthusiastic performance the 90-minute show couldn't hid the fact that Sam's Town is markedly weaker than Hot Fuss, however, which was particularly apparent in an encore which was very downbeat until it went back in time to the anthemic All These Things That I've Done.

If the Killers are to stay best international act let's hope they are hard at work on their next album.