The Killers – Palace Theater – St. Paul MN – June 26th 2025

By Todd Johnson 2 days ago

Wells Fargo Credit Cards and First Avenue presents The Killers on June 26th 2025

Review and photos by Todd Johnson

The Killers will perform at the next Autograph Card Exclusives event. The Killers are a Las Vegas-based band formed in 2002 who has sold over twenty-five million albums worldwide, and headlined all of the world’s top festivals. Experience The Killers at an intimate concert at the Palace Theatre in St. Paul, MN.

The Killers turned the Palace Theatre into a miniature stadium for the night. From the moment the band took the stage, the energy was relentless. Brandon Flowers, charismatic and sharply dressed as ever, wasted no time commanding the room. While the venue was small, the performance was massive in scope—blistering lights, pulsing synths, and yes, more than one confetti blast.

Flowers’ stage presence bordered on theatrical: climbing amps, pacing the lip of the stage, and throwing open his arms to the crowd like a preacher leading a musical revival. The band was tight, clearly road-tested, and gave even their oldest songs a fresh spark.

The band pulled from across their discography, balancing fan favorites from Hot Fuss and Sam’s Town with deeper cuts and a few newer songs. Here’s how the flow felt:

  • Early Hits: They opened with “Somebody Told Me” and “Spaceman,” immediately igniting the crowd.

  • Emotional Core: Mid-set leaned more contemplative with songs like “A Dustland Fairytale” and “Runaways.” Flowers introduced “Quiet Town” with a heartfelt comment about family and small-town life.

  • Final Stretch: “All These Things That I’ve Done” exploded with audience sing-alongs. “When You Were Young” closed the main set with pure adrenaline.

  • Encore: They returned with “The Man,” “Human,” and of course, “Mr. Brightside,” which felt less like a song and more like a shared ritual

Highlights from the show.

  • Brandon Flowers’ vocals: Still strong, expressive, and dynamic. He had moments of subtlety (especially on “Runaways”) and power (“Mr. Brightside” roared).

  • The intimacy: Seeing an arena-sized band in a theater built in 1916 was surreal—like watching a Vegas show in your living room. The crowd fed off the closeness.

  • The production: Surprisingly grand. Despite the small stage, the lighting, sound, and visuals were polished and dramatic.

Critiques

  • Newer songs: While solid live, some of the newer tracks didn’t land as strongly as the classics. A few felt like placeholders between hits.

  • Pacing: The show had one slight lull mid-set when energy dipped, though it rebounded quickly.

This concert was a rare and powerful reminder of why The Killers are one of the best live rock acts of the 21st century. The Palace Theatre show felt like a gift to die-hard fans—a chance to witness stadium rock brought down to street level, with all the fire and none of the distance.

Rating: 9/10
Best moment: “All These Things That I’ve Done” with the entire crowd chanting, “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier” in perfect unison. Goosebumps.