Brandon Flowers Blooms Vegas-Style

Brandon Flowers performing in the Shimmer Cabaret at LV Hilton

This past weekend was a great weekend for music fans, not to mention followers of one of Las Vegas’ favorite sons; because on Saturday, August 14th, Brandon Flowers (best known as the front-man for Vegas-based rock band, The Killers) released his first solo album, and celebrated with an unannounced late-night performance at Surrender Nightclub at Encore Las Vegas, followed on Sunday evening with a concert in the Shimmer Cabaret at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Brandon Flowers - "Crossfire"

Brandon knows how to charm his audience, and had people shouting his name while singing along to songs including “Crossfire” (the first single from his album, Flamingo), and a contagious cover of Kim Carnes’ ‘80s classic, “Bette Davis Eyes” (one of my all-time faves).  And I want to go on record – as it were – to applaud Brandon both for his selection and the result, because having taken-on that particular song in inebriated late-night karaoke sessions on three continents, I’m able to vouch that it is written in a register that is hard for a guy to sing.

Darren Beckett on drums

Worth noting, Brandon’s backing band was quite fierce (both aurally and visually), as were his back-up singers.  They were all sporting a very Williamsburg-living, skinny-jeans wearing, PAPER Magazine-reading hipster look the first night, and an alternative, black-and-white, rocker look the second (thanks to stylist Jennifer Church-Beckett) with the girls done-up like Marianne Faithfull, circa 1965.  They were all incredibly cool and a riot to hang-out with (which we did après the Surrender concert, in Bungalow 8.  Dontcha love karma?)

Meanwhile, how about the name of the venue at the Las Vegas Hilton?  The Shimmer Cabaret?  (Insert head-tilt, here…)  Really?  (Now, the single eyebrow, raised quizically…)  And you just know Liberace’s ghost is looking down from that great rhinestone in the sky, saying “Now, that’s gay!”

Brandon Flowers in the Shimmer Cabaret

But I digress…  To press-up into Brandon’s single “Crossfire” and his cover of “Bette Davis Eyes” watch the two videos, herein, that I recorded at the performance at Surrender, on Saturday night.  (For the best image-quality, I recommend setting your player to show them in 720pHD.) 

I'm sorry if the image is a bit wobbley, but I kept getting jostled and bumped by these inconsiderate people who insisted on dancing and shouting and thoroughly enjoying themselves, with no respect for the guy holding a camera over his head, blocking their views.  (Some people…  Rude!)

Brandon Flowers - FLAMINGO

Brandon Flowers
Flamingo
Available now, on i-Tunes

Get into it!