Clint Hale
210SA Staff Writer
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 AUSTIN – For some bands, the songs they perform in their live show may sound substantially different from those very same songs as recorded on an album.

The Killers, fortunately, are not one of those bands.

Before a jam-packed Frank Erwin Center crowd on Friday night, The Killers gave fans exactly what they wanted. Namely, they stuck with what made them successful in the first place – catchy, infectious tunes and a grandiose, somewhat over-the-top stage presence.

This, of course, is a good thing.

The Killers, led by charismatic frontman Brandon Flowers, are not subtle, and nor should they be. They are young. They are extremely talented. And they prefer to push the bounds of what contemporary alternative music should be.

As much was evidenced by their live show, which predominantly featured tunes from their two full-length albums – debut Hot Fuss and follow-up Sam’s Town.

The albums’ contrasting styles worked to The Killers’ advantage, as their set ranged in sound from down home American – “Sam’s Town” – to near-Brit pop/rock – “On Top.” In between, the quartet wowed the crowd with singles like “Mr. Brightside” and “Read My Mind,” then mixed in a couple of old favorites like “Jenny was a Friend of Mine” and “All These Things That I’ve Done.”

The 95-minute, 20-song set kicked off with the self-titled track from Sam’s Town, during which Flowers emerged from the backstage area, clad in black vest, white button-down shirt and cowboy boots. Say what you will about the man, and many have, but his flamboyant stage persona, which included posing and bowing to the crowd, suits The Killers’ style.

As much was not lost on the crowd, which was up on its feet as the band tore through 14 songs, capped off by smash single “Mr. Brightside,” before exiting the stage. Moments later, they returned for a four-song encore, which started with “My List” and finished with “All These Things That I’ve Done.”

After the encore, as everyone began to file out, the band emerged for a second encore, during which Flowers uttered to the crowd, “we didn’t say goodbye yet.” And after the two-song second encore concluded, including one song that featured Flowers on piano, it was time to say goodbye.

Of course, as The Killers proved on Friday night, bidding adieu is a whole lot easier when you get what you pay for.

Opening Band Observations

Australian band Howling Bells kicked off the show, and their eight-song set was played before a fairly sparse crowd. Even so, lead singer Juanita Stein and crew rocked the crowd with a solid mix of rock and pop. With a sound not too unlike The Killers, Howling Bells provided a quality opening act.