Above image via Facebook: The Killers
By Josh McCann
Earlier this month, The Killers released “Rebel Diamonds,” a greatest hits package celebrating 20 years as a band. In honor of that milestone, I decided to write about my experiences and memories with their music. This past year I was fortunate enough to cover their show in Pittsburgh. Here’s a behind-the-scenes account of the amazing night (and some cool memories).
I walked to my seat at the Peterson Events Center in Pittsburgh, the crowd still entering the gates on a cold March night. I was on the side, the stage some twenty rows below me. It hit me like a power chord ringing with distortion. I was there to cover the show for the biggest newspaper publication in Pittsburgh!? I shook my head, took out my notepad, and made some notes. What was happening?! There were some cute girls near the front of the stage in Killer’s t-shirts (maybe they’ll read my review in the morning!). It was like a dream. Hey kids, English class can be a good thing in the long run!
The seats were filling up. People were buying drinks. It was thrilling to be covering the show. No pressure! I had covered other shows in the past. Back when I was in college at Point Park University, I covered the Thrival Music Festival (Whiz Khalifa, Chvrches, Metric) for the Globe. I’d also covered Taylor Swift’s Reputation tour for this music blog you’re reading now (eventually I got a press pass to cover her ERA’s tour, which is another post in itself!). Getting a press pass meant I was granted a free ticket to attend the show and write about it. It’s very hard to get one, and I was grateful for the opportunity. It was an honor. The review would go live the next morning, like a new album release ready to stream. The one interesting thing about it: I had to be at school the next morning for my student teaching! Talk about some good material for my journalism class!
I noticed my brothers near the stage. They waved up at me, drinks in their hands. My other two friends were on the other side of the stage. It was different to be in the press row. I was in a different spot now. I had to remember to write down the experience. But at the same time, I wanted to enjoy the show, because I loved The Killers. I took a seat, glanced at my phone, and waited for the show to start.
When I first heard the Killers, it was 2004. I was making music with my drummer, ready to take on the world with our original rock songs. This was my only plan. I worked at the grocery store, went to classes at a local college campus. I wanted to make it as a full-time musician. The Killers were around my age, and they had broken through to mainstream radio with their hits from 2004’s “Hot Fuss.”
In 2006, they released Sam’s Town, which was played on repeat when my friends and I would drink together. A truly amazing album. I remember watching them perform “When You Were Young,” at the MTV VMA’s. I was in my brother’s college apartment at Penn State. I reached around the empty beer cans and potato chip bags, grabbed the remote, turned it up. The guitar riff blew me away, with the band putting on a captivating performance of their new single, closing out the show. Behind me was a poster of Bruce Springsteen, during the Born To Run era. Their new song reminded me of Bruce in a way. The straight-ahead guitar drive heartland rock of leaving town in hopes of better dreams. I was about to enter the recording studio with my own band. Our first album was underway. Watching the Killers gave me hope that new bands could sound good and be recognized.
During the Fall of 2006, my friends and I would blast Sam’s Town during our nights hanging out, drinking in the backyard, requesting it on the jukebox at the local bar. I had left college, not knowing what to major in, but still having a ton of course credits to my name. I didn’t know if I’d ever have enough confidence to go back to school. I was in my 20’s, wanted my life to be rock and roll, dreaming of leaving my small town and the grocery store. I watched them perform on SNL. They were becoming my new favorite band.
The lights go down and the opening act comes on. I reach for the notebook in the back pocket of my jeans, write down some notes. My heart is pounding like I’m on the stage. This is it. No turning back. The Killers were there to promote their album, “Imploding the Mirage.” The gig had been delayed numerous times, from COVID to scheduling issues. They weren’t on tour. It was a random date that they had to do. It was also a Sunday night. It was happening. But it wasn’t the first time I’d seen them.
It’s the middle of summer and I’m at the Firefly Music Fest in Dover, Delaware. I went with my girlfriend at the time, my brother, my friend and his girlfriend. The Killers were headlining. This was during our festival boom era. We went to Bonnaroo (another post I’m working on!). We also went to Free Fest every year (this was the festival that billionaire Richard Branson put on every year in Maryland and the ticket was only $11). It was 2012. I was on the verge of turning 30. I had just started dating my girlfriend. We had met one night in Morgantown, West Virginia, on the dance floor. After some 80’s power ballads, we embraced under the Fall stars and never looked back. I had no plans of going back to school either.
“Why don’t you go back?” she’d asked.
“Yeah I don’t know about that,” I said. “I don’t want to be back in a classroom. Student loans are too much. I don’t even know what I’d go for.”
At the festival, The Killers put on an amazing show. They played all their big songs as we stood in the giant field. I remember them playing “All These Things That I’ve Done,” near the end. Confetti shot over us, the music blasting off, everyone jumping up and down. I didn’t know where I was going in life, but I was happy. I had my girlfriend and best friends.
All these years later, and there I was covering the show for the biggest publication in Pittsburgh. Who would have thought that I’d be covering it nearly ten years after I’d seen them at Firefly?! The lights went down, and the crowd cheered. I stood up in my seat, pen and phone in hand.
The Killers walked onto the stage to the roar of the crowd. They started with “My Own Soul’s Warning.” “Finally,” Flowers rejoiced to the crowd. He was referring to the band finally playing this show in Pittsburgh. It hit me differently. The “Finally” felt like it was ‘Finally’ my time. Unlike back in 2012, everything was coming together. I had gone back to school and got my bachelor’s degree. I was a month away from finishing my student teaching and getting my master’s degree. I was seeing one of my favorite bands for free, writing about the experience, and getting paid for it. I took in the show, writing down all the cool moments. I got home that night and went straight to my computer. I typed it up, going over it for a couple hours.
I made it school the next morning. I hadn’t missed a day yet. I was fresh off the adrenaline of the prior night. I kept checking the website to see if the article was up. Then around noon, I got the email that it was live. I nearly jumped out of my seat. I looked at the screen. There was a picture of Brandon Flowers on the stage. Under the picture was the title of the article, and underneath those bold words, was my name. I got chills. I scrolled down the page. It was my article. I jumped up and showed my teacher.
“No way! This is great,” he said.
“I’ll show the students in our journalism class,” I said.
“Yes, you have to do that!” he said.
I went around to other teachers. “You have to see this!” I said.
They looked it up.
“OMG you’re famous!” a teacher said.
“Look at you Josh McCann!” another teacher said.
“Can you get me tickets next time?” one teacher said.
I showed my students and popped the article up on our smartboard.
“Here’s my article!” I said.
They looked ahead and stared at the screen.
“Wow that’s awesome Mr. McCann!” one student said.
“Yeah Mr. McCann!!” a couple students said.
They started clapping and cheering. Then a couple students took turns reading the article out loud. I didn’t even ask them to read it! I sat back in my chair and took in the words. Then my teacher played some Killers on his computer. Some kids danced along to “Human” and we all laughed. Things were happening.
Here’s the link to my Killers review–
Where The Bands Are 