The Killers and Louis XIV
By Alisa
Confetti, sex appeal, incredible music and kinky red boots…those are the essentials for a great show. The Killers originally postponed this show at The WAMU Theater due to a cold that Brandon Flowers had and alas I was disappointed. But my disappointment dissipated when Rachel reviled to me that Louis XIV would be opening for The Killers. My head almost exploded and I almost shot my load…I was excited. It had been two years since Louis XIV played Seattle and I needed a fix. This combination made for an incredible show as well, the energy was insane and no one could stand still; I don’t think that I have ever danced that much at a show before.
Rachel and I arrived a little late and thought that we might be screwed and stuck in the back of the general admission crowd, but alas we were not. The WAMU Theater is very nice, I had never been there before and I was very impressed. Their bar was pleasant looking (21 feels so far away), the sound in the WAMU Theater is really great too, you could hear everything perfectly and there was no echo throughout the entire night.
Louis XIV hit the stage, fog machine going, and opened with one of my favorite songs from their vinyl, “Grand Apartment”. This is a group of men that can pull just about anything off, Brain even has a Prospector beard to prove the point that they are capable of making anything interesting. I heard faint whispers of, “who is Louis XIV” before the show but after their set, the crowd was amazed. Their lyrics ooze sex appeal, as do the members, and that is what I love so much about them as musicians. They have no reservations about their music, they are honest, interesting and raw. My ears were more than pleased to hear some new tunes as well, they will be releasing a new album sometime this summer or early fall (as no solid release date has been set yet). One of the new tunes they played had to do with airplanes and for some reason reminded me and Rachel of David Bowie’s “Major Tom”. My ears have never been so satisfied, as their guitar rifts are refreshing, energetic and unique. Louis XIV is one of the best bands that I have ever had the privilege to see live, and you can’t really experience their music until you see them live. These men are creating a new type of music that others don’t have the ability to do…they are creating something that is truly their own. I am seeing more and more “repeat” bands now than ever before, bands that sound exactly the same as one another, in part (I think) because they are afraid of taking their music in a new direction. Louis XIV is a band that doesn’t let their record label rule them and they produce what they want, they are their own musicians who can play more than a few chords. I respect this band for those simple reasons, for being their own entity and having a personality that is their own. They create music that they can actually call their own and be proud of. Not only do they blow your mind with their music, but they are also very attractive, that doesn’t hurt… Their energy permeated out into the crowd and there wasn’t one still foot or ass. They demand only excellence and fun from themselves, they are amusing and dangerous. Hide your women, Louis XIV is coming to town. See them live, trust me you will be filled with satisfaction in more than one way.
After Louis XIV pleased the crowd, The Killers hit the stage. The Killers put on an incredible show as well, and it all started with a slide show of sorts on a large white curtain that hung from the ceiling. It was quite epic, the most epic entrance that I have ever seen actually and no one else but The Killers could have pulled it off. After the curtain was pulled, red, white and blue confetti was shot all over the crowd and Brandon Flowers stomped around in sparking red boots. They are the coolest boots that I have ever seen a man wear, and only he could pull them off. It was like if Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz wore Italian style kinky boots all through out the Land of Oz, they were bitchin. And what made it even more awesome was that Brandon’s boot matched his keyboard stand which sparkled red as well. The Killers set was mind blowing, I have never experienced anything like that at a show before. They played a lot of songs from their new album “Sams Town”, but also delighted us with some old classics like, “Jenny was a friend of Mine” and “Mr. Brightside”. This band exudes brilliance, in their music and in their performances. I saw The Killers only once before at Deck the Hall Ball about two or three years ago, and I knew that when they hit the stage then, in matching attire, that they would do great things. The Killers have come so far from their first to their second album, they have pushed their music farther than before. Their debut album is an incredible compilation and you would never guess that it was their first full length release. In their second album, you can feel the change and the progression they have made. They are an ever evolving band, on and off stage. The Killers played an amazing set, I honestly can’t find the right words to even describe how amazing it was. I was left speechless and in need of a cigarette. I danced so hard that my feet hurt for two days and sang along so loud that my throat hurt for a week. The Killers, not just Brandon Flowers, have a way of connecting with their audience that I have only seen from Louis XIV, The Decemberists and The Eagles of Death Metal. I feel privileged to say that I am a fan of The Killers, and that I feel like they appreciate the fact that I spent money to go to their show, that I opted out on Sasquatch to go and watch them perform instead. This wasn’t just another show on their tour, it was a performance of epic proportions, seriously.
As a whole, The Killers and Louis XIV go together like sex and cigarettes. Both are satisfying, and one should always be followed up by the other.