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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

The Killers set to slay a sold-out crowd at Big Easy

Chris Kornelis Correspondent

Much like the band’s hometown of Las Vegas, The Killers are part sleaze, part hype and a lot of glam.

The songs are fast and the introspective lyrics are repetitive. And like any serious band looking to conquer the rock ‘n’ roll community, The Killers aren’t afraid of tinkering with instrumentation.

The band’s liberal use of synthesizers over guitars creates an ‘80s dance feel, offset by occasional pop-rock hooks. This fits neatly into today’s mainstream acceptance of indie rock – The Shins, Death Cab for Cutie – while the band’s Atari-inspired melodies offer the genre some much needed variety. But the kicker is the use of the famous choir Sweet Inspirations – known for its work with Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix and Elvis Presley – on its 2004 debut, “Hot Fuss.” The band also uses a choir in certain live shows.

No word yet on whether Spokane will get the royal treatment. The quartet – which includes Flowers, bassist Mark Stoermer, drummer Ronnie Vannucci and guitarist Dave Keuning – plays a 7:30 p.m. sold-out, all-ages show Thursday at the Big Easy Concert House.

In the wake of “Hot Fuss,” The Killers, which has drawn numerous comparisons to Duran Duran, was immediately embraced by rock ‘n’ roll critics, including the cover of Spin magazine’s 2005 “Next Big Thing Issue.”

Like many bands before it, The Killers were birthed through the want ads.It didn’t take long for the two to get started. Even at their first meeting they began writing songs. The first occasion resulted in the three-chord adrenaline rush “Mr. Brightside,” which turned up on “Hot Fuss.”

“That was the first song we wrote together and remains the only song we’ve played at every single Killers show,” Keuning said on the band’s Web site.

It looks like “Mr. Brightside” is a guarantee. Keep your fingers crossed about that choir.