Mr Flowers appears onstage in a scene straight out of a David Lynch film. Dressed, like his bandmates, all in black, he’s got a bolo tie, cowgirl backing singers and a red-and-black cabaret-style set topped off by backdrop curtains. The entrance is no-nonsense, and when the Killers singer and his band launch into The Red Ground, it’s pure magic.
He’s come a long way, from humble roots to stadiums worldwide; this, in his solo guise, is more intimate, and diehard fans are utterly mesmerised. Flowers tells stories about his childhood, his family and the road to fame, making for a heartfelt journey through the years.
I remember the first time I saw him with The Killers, 20 years ago – slightly awkward, tense, but radiating raw energy in signature raincoat and jet-black hair. Now he’s older, Flowers is more comfortable in his own skin. He’s touring third solo album Thrasher, exploring his love of country music and Americana; decamping to Nashville and working with producers Jonathon Rado and Shawn Everett, the result’s a personal diary of life littered with lyrics Hunter S Thompson would be proud of.
From bleak days growing up in Utah to the abusive relationship his sister had with her husband, Flowers’ lyrics spill out, variously ludicrous and tear-inducing: he evokes an emotional connection and paints a picture, the listener goes with it. This evening, he discusses some of his influences – listening to Willie Nelson and Ry Cooder, growing up in Las Vegas and the ironically named ‘Paradise’, where his cousins and some of his friends still live. Flowers, on the other hand, seems earnestly grateful at having managed to “escape”, as he put it, and many of his songs reflect this.
There are personal stories woven throughout, with more than a hint of Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond and Ryan Adams in his voice and demeanour. Hope and longing, dreams and despair all play out, and come increasingly to the fore as he’s matured. He’s a man living his dream.
With his voice better than ever, and a razor-sharp band to match, the 18-song setlist focuses on Thrasher, with selected Killers numbers woven in. Plans, Tiger’s Blood, Paradise, Miss America and When You Were Young precede an encore of Quiet Town, Read My Mind, An American Dream and a brilliant cover of The Coral’s Dreaming Of You. By Flowers’ own admission, he’s a huge fan and was even a little jealous of the song when it came out.
As he also tells us, his life today is a miracle: he could have wound up working at a petrol station, parking cars at the Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip, or doing whatever else it took to support his family. We should be grateful Brandon Flowers found a way out and pursued his dream.
Brandon Flowers, Bristol Beacon, Sat 17 Oct
words ANTONIA LEVAY photos ROB LOUD
