Brandon Flowers O2 Apollo review: ‘Spellbinding display of musicianship’

The performance at the O2 Apollo came as part of a nine-date run in the UK and Ireland, which has seen Flowers exchange the arenas, large-scale festivals and stadiums that he's accustomed to with The Killers for intimate settings as part of his tour supporting 'Thrasher' – his first solo release in over a decade and one that marked his return to his country roots.

Flowers spent his formative years growing up in the small towns of Payson and Nephi, Utah, where country music was essentially the background soundtrack to his entire youth. Country heavily shaped his early memories, with his father playing artists such as Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and John Conlee in his truck, allowing Flowers to soak everything in and giving him the tools to transform the deeply personal stories from his upbringing into songs that are perfectly suited to the genre.

On Tuesday night, Flowers brought that vision to life once more in a live setting, opening the performance with ‘The Red Ground’, blending a rich pedal steel, an overdriven guitar and tight drumming with a thick bass and a warm acoustic guitar, setting the tone for an evening packed with personal anecdotes from Flowers. “For 25 years, I’ve been telling people I am a rock and roll star from Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s become the truth. If you wear the mask for long enough, it becomes the face,” he said, noting his upbringing in small-town Utah, where he immersed himself in country music. “I spent a long time being embarrassed by that music, but tonight I am going to play it to you,” he added. And he did, treating the audience to a masterclass of a 21-song setlist.

‘Does It Ever Cross Your Mind?’ was complemented by a twangy acoustic guitar, steady drumming, a weightless yet heavy pedal steel guitar, a piano that felt urgent yet spacious and two backing vocalists, who helped enrich Flowers’ harmonies in Manchester. “People keep asking me when I went country, it was 16 years before anyone noticed,” he joked. ‘Crossfire’ featured a driving piano, restrained drumming that was locked in on the hi-hat, a warm acoustic guitar and a gliding pedal steel, sparking a big singalong and one that Flowers openly relished.

The title of ‘Thrasher’ was born out of his father’s desire to help teach Flowers how to defend himself from what the 45-year-old described as “fourth-grade bullying", but as Flowers said, “Spoiler alert, it was hopeless. I was too sensitive,” offering a further glimpse into his upbringing. The story ended on a happier note with a move to Nephi, Utah, where he made friends, leading into ‘Tiger’s Blood’, which saw Flowers’ vocals complemented by a bright acoustic guitar, a steady bass line, an overdriven guitar and violin stabs that added extra depth to the arrangement.

Flowers also confirmed that the pivot to country music was well-received by his father, who said to him, "Finally," upon hearing from the 45-year-old, he was making a country record. ‘Plans’ saw Flowers bask in the role of conductor, allowing the audience to sing directly at him, and also featured a slide guitar before asking everyone how they were doing, earning a well-earned roar from the 3,500-strong in attendance, responding, "If I can be of any assistance for the rest of the night, please don’t hesitate to ask." Whether he’s fronting The Killers or performing his solo material, you’ll always back Flowers to deliver an unforgettable experience, and even then, he’ll always generously ask everyone if they need anything else, regardless of where you are and whatever's happening in your life, watching Brandon Flowers will always leave you with a smile on your face.

‘Paradise’ combined an overdriven guitar, a warm acoustic guitar, punchy drumming and a thick, driving bass line with harmonica stabs that added to the band’s big wall of sound. “I like to think the next two songs as two roads, one’s the road to ruin and the other is the road back,” Flowers noted, leading into ‘Angel’, which culminated with Flowers taking a backseat with his hands crossed, watching the tight musicianship of his band shine, and ‘Magdalena’, which combined acoustic warmth with intricate drumming and a gentle yet driving piano, giving space for Flowers’ vocals to shine.

“My two older sisters competed in beauty pageants in the 80s." Flowers said, mentioning how his mother was the best, and joked that “I almost got roped into it. I am not kidding; I could have been a beauty queen,” noting how he was nearly entered into a competition but lost his nerve and ended up in a McDonald’s instead. “I think that was the best Happy Meal I had in my life,” he joked, before the hard part of the story, where Flowers highlighted how Shelly, his sister, escaped an abusive relationship and found a road back. Everything he performed felt steeped in history and packed with authenticity, making his performance compelling yet eye-widening when knowing everything behind the songs.

Covers of the The Killers' hits 'In The Car Outside’ and ‘When You Were Young’ erupted into euphoric singalongs, with the latter incorporating fuzzy, distorted guitars, a punchy bass and powerhouse drumming, giving the song an extra bit in the intimate surroundings of the O2 Apollo. Flowers’ spellbinding display of musicianship was brought to a close with covers of The Killers’ ‘In Another Life' and ‘Read My Mind’ before renditions of ‘Between Me and You’ and ‘American Dream’, which was wrapped up with a heartwarming singalong. As Flowers says, there was room for both New Order and Dolly Parton for him, and for us, there’s room in our hearts for both Brandon’s solo music and The Killers.

Tickets to see Brandon perform on the remainder of his tour are available here.