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The Killers and Jet

Queensland Country Bank Stadium

Photographs by Chris Phelps

 

As Brandon Flowers said “ You must have been very good boys and girls this year Townsville to have Jet and The Killers playing to you and on a Saturday Night no less…” and what a show we were treated too.

It isn’t every day that Far North Queensland gets treated to a show by an international act but when we do the crowds come out and Saturday night at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.

Jet last played in Far North Queensland in 2011 supporting Powderfinger on their Sunsets tour, so it had bee a while. When they hit the stage that last decade fell away and the crowd went absolutely nuts making this show feel more like a festival than a support band.

Nic Cester brought his A game, bringing out all the hits, Cold Hard Bitch, She’s A Genius and of course Are You Gonna Be My Girl, from the 2003 album Get Born and the melodic crowd sing a long Look What You’ve Done.

As the wound up the thought must have crossed people’s mind surely there should be a full Jet show in Cairns and Townsville sometime soon.

In true North Queensland style once Jet left the stage the crowd headed off to go and grab two handfuls of drinks and wait for the main act.

Hitting the stage in a red suit with gold button and initials embroided on the cuff, Brandon Flowers looked like a modern Vegas lounge singer hair to perfection and all but it was all rock n roll from the get go with Mr Brightside their biggest hits and one of the most streamed songs on the planet starting proceedings. It was clear the crowd were going to get what they wanted tonight…all the hits as this was followed by Spaceman and Jenny Was A Friend of Mine.

The hits just kept rolling, and it is easy to forget sometimes that The Killers have A LOT of hits.

Finishing out their set Brandon Flowers and the band brought to life one of Australia’s most iconic hits sung by Michael Hutchence and performed by INXS, Don’t Change, released 40 years ago on their album Shabooh Shoobah. This homage to Australian music was beautiful and more than a cover it was a reimagining.

Flowers dripping in sweet from the tropical weather, having lost his jacket many songs prior came back out, asking why it had taken 21 years for The Killers to get to Townsville…

Then finished their set with the trio of The Man, Human and When We Were Young.
This was the best international concert seen In Townsville in living memory, everyone who went has been blown away and the ease of entry and exit from the stadium was exceptional too.

Maybe just maybe bands and promoters will begin to start seeing regional areas of Australia as a viable part of the concert circuit in Australia, given the crowd on Saturday night it seems like there is an audience.