On Friday, 29th July, The Killers were secretly flown into Melbourne for a one-off private show for employees of the Australian lending group, Liberty Financial. The corporate-funded gig, which took place at Reunion Park, four kilometres east of Melbourne’s CBD, also featured performances from Ben Lee and The Veronicas.
The Killers have not toured Australia since May 2018, when they were spruiking their fifth album, 2017’s Wonderful Wonderful. Since that time, the Brandon Flowers-led group has released the albums Imploding the Mirage (2020) and Pressure Machine (2021)
The Killers play one-off corporate show
“Mr. Brightside” durante el evento privado para Liberty Services en Melbourne ??
? | yomafia_, benleemusic#TheKillers pic.twitter.com/Muxwj11Jn2
— The Killers Fans (@t_hekillersfan) July 29, 2022
The Killers brought their complete live ensemble, including the band’s founding guitarist, Dave Keuning, who had previously announced a hiatus from touring. Bass player Mark Stoermer was not present and has not appeared live with the band since 2016. Vocalist Flowers and drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr. treated the crowd to a set loaded with hits, such as ‘Somebody Told Me’, ‘When You Were Young’, ‘Read My Mind’, ‘Smile Like You Mean It’, and ‘Mr Brightside’.
The Veronicas’ Jess and Lisa Origliasso appeared on stage with no backing musicians, opting to sing their biggest hits over a backing track. Ben Lee – who’s apparently a firm favourite of Liberty Financial CEO James Boyle – was joined onstage by a drummer, relying on backing track for additional instrumentation.
Sources told Music Feeds that the gig was intended as a music festival for Liberty employees in celebration of the company’s 25th anniversary. The Killers will return to Australia for an arena tour in November and December 2022. The band are expected to release the new single, ‘Boy’, in the coming weeks.
Further Reading
The Killers Announce Australian & New Zealand Return In 2022
The Veronicas, Baker Boy & More To Play The Melbourne Royal Show
‘I Couldn’t Do a Bad Show If I Tried’: Ben Lee Is Leaning Into His Weirdness
