# Imploding the Mirage Tour

The Imploding the Mirage Tour was the sixth major concert tour by American rock band The Killers. The tour supports their sixth and seventh studio albums Imploding the Mirage (2020) and Pressure Machine (2021). The tour began at the Terminal 5 in New York City on August 19, 2021, and ended at Interlagos Circuit in São Paulo on December 2, 2023.

## Background
### Announcements and tour itinerary

The tour was initially announced in November 2019, with a series of stadium concerts in the UK and Ireland in May and June 2020. This was followed by announcements for multiple festival and arena shows across Europe in summer 2020. However, in April 2020, the band were forced to postpone the shows due to the COVID-19 pandemic, rescheduling them to summer 2021. Further pandemic restrictions forced the band to postpone the shows again in March 2021, moving them to summer 2022.
Following the announcement of the band's seventh studio album, Pressure Machine, in July 2021, the band also added a number of dates across North America between August and October 2022 to the tour. The tour began with a series of warm-up shows in the United States between August and December 2022, which also coincided with the release of Pressure Machine.
In November 2021, the band further extended the tour by announcing dates in Mexico in April 2022, and in Australia and New Zealand in November and December 2022.
In February 2022, the band announced that the tour would begin with three intimate shows at Las Vegas' Cosmopolitan Hotel in April 2022. This preceded the tour's first stadium shows in Mexico in April and May. The tour then continued on to the UK and Ireland in May and June 2022, and in April the band announced that the UK tour would begin with an intimate warm-up show at the O2 Academy Sheffield. The tour then continued on throughout Europe and to North America during the summer of 2022.
In August and September, the band announced a further leg of the tour into South America in November 2022, with shows in Colombia, Chile and Brazil. This was followed by their previously announced tour of Australia and New Zealand in November and December 2022.
In December 2022, the band confirmed that the tour would continue into 2023. This began with the a series of shows in the United States throughout the year, followed by the announcement that the band would tour the UK and Ireland again in August and September 2023, most notably with headline slots at the Reading and Leeds Festivals.
In July 2023, the band announced that the tour would end with a headline slot at Primavera Sound in São Paulo in December.

### Highlights

At the first of two shows at London's Emirates Stadium on 3 June 2022, the band débuted the title track from their 2022 album Pressure Machine following a request from BBC Radio 2 DJ Jo Whiley, who was in attendance on the night. Before performing the track, Flowers said, "Jo Whiley, she’s always championed us since the very beginning – she’s here tonight. She should have a jubilee, right? She said some wonderful things about this next song and she requested it tonight – if you don’t like it blame her. It’s called ‘Pressure Machine’." Whiley later said this on Twitter that this was a "life highlight".
The band's show in Manchester on 11 June 2022 attracted headlines after 67-year-old Doug James crowd-surfed to the front of the audience during the show and injured his head. Frontman Brandon Flowers embraced James after he was carried over the security barriers, and James later said it was “like his childhood [was] coming back” and it brought him “so much joy”.
At their headline set at the Mad Cool Festival in Madrid in on 7 July 2022, the band débuted new track "boy" for the first time. Flowers introduced the new song by asking the crowd, "Do you wanna be the first to hear us play a new song right now? It goes like this." A studio version of "boy" was later released on 5 August.
The following August, the band released another new single, "Your Side of Town", on 25 August 2023, on the weekend that they headlined Reading and Leeds Festivals. The song was débuted live the next day at Reading, on 26 August.
In November 2023, "boy" and "Your Side of Town" were confirmed to be included on the band's second greatest hits album, Rebel Diamonds. The third new track from Rebel Diamonds, "Spirit", was débuted live in São Paulo on 30 November, the week before the song (and album) was released.

### Controversies

On August 15, 2023, the band apologised after inviting an audience member from Russia to perform on drums for "For Reasons Unknown" during their concert in Batumi in Georgia, the band's first ever show in the country. After inviting the audience member on stage, frontman Brandon Flowers asked the crowd, "We don't know the etiquette of this land but this guy's a Russian. You OK with a Russian coming up here?", which was greeted with a mix of boos and cheers. Flowers later responded to crowd discontent by asking, "You can't recognise if someone's your brother? He's not your brother?", which led to further booing and some fans walking out of the arena. The band later issued an apology on their social media pages, stating "it was never our intention to offend anyone" and recognising that Flowers' comments "could be misconstrued".

## Critical reception

The tour received widespread acclaim from music critics.
Reviewing their second performance at the Emirates Stadium in London in 2022, Thomas Smith of NME awarded the band four stars, commenting that they strike the balance between "humble and grateful; bombastic and flashy" and that frontman Brandon Flowers has "Jagger-level bundles of energy and a similar magnetism". Smith particularly praised the additions to the set list from the Imploding the Mirage album. Jenessa Williams of The Guardian also gave the band four stars for their intimate warm-up show at the O2 Academy in Sheffield prior to the start of the UK and Ireland leg of the tour in 2022, noting that the band overcame issues with the venue's sound system and consequently that "tonight’s cage might not have been as grand as the Killers are used to, but with 20 years of practice and the crowd on their side, they’re still coming out of it with style."
These sentiments were echoed in reviews of the band's headline set at the 2023 Reading and Leeds Festivals. NME's Andrew Trendell called "Mr. Brightside" "a fitting showstopper of showmanship to a set that could run as a Vegas residency for the rest of time" in his four-star review of the performance. The i newspaper's Ali Shutler awarded the same number of stars in his review, remarking that "The Killers’ music remains universal and timeless" and praising the band's balance between "a sense of nostalgia" and "fresh-faced excitement".

## Set list

This set list is representative of the show on May 24, 2022 in Doncaster. It is not intended to represent all shows from the tour.
* "My Own Soul's Warning"
* "Enterlude"
* "When You Were Young"
* "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine"
* "Smile Like You Mean It"
* "Shot at the Night"
* "Blowback"
* "Running Towards a Place"
* "Mr. Brightside"
* "Somebody Told Me"
* "Fire in Bone"
* "Shadowplay"
* "Run for Cover"
* "Runaway Horses"
* "A Dustland Fairytale"
* "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"
* "Runaways"
* "Read My Mind"
* "Dying Breed"
* "Caution" (with "Rut Segue intro")

### Encore

* "Spaceman"
* "Human"
* "Midnight Show"
* "All These Things That I've Done"

### Special guests

* Alex Moore performed The Lathums' "How Beautiful Life Can Be" with the band during the concert on 12 July 2022 in Vienna, and again on 16 July in Amsterdam.
* Johnny Marr performed The Smiths' "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out", "Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before", "What She Said", "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want", "This Charming Man" and "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby", as well as The Killers' "Mr. Brightside", frequently during the encore of the band's 2022 North American tour (where Marr also served as the band's opening act). Marr returned to play "This Charming Man" and "When You Were Young" with the band on 29 August 2023 in Edinburgh.
* Lindsey Buckingham performed Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way" and The Killers' "Caution" and "Mr. Brightside" with the band during the concert on 27 August 2022 in Los Angeles.
* Bruce Springsteen performed "Born to Run" and "Badlands" and The Killers' "A Dustland Fairytale" with the band during the concert on 2 October 2022 in New York City.
* Mike Scott performed The Waterboys' "The Whole of the Moon" with the band during their headline performance at the Electric Picnic Festival on 3 September 2023.

## Tour dates

List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, opening act, attendance, and gross revenue :
| Date | City | Country | Venue | Opening act(s) | Attendance | Revenue |
| Leg 1 — Warm-up shows |||||||
| August 19, 2021 | New York City | United States | Terminal 5 | — | — | — |
| September 20, 2021 | Newport | United States | PromoWest Pavilion at Ovation | — | — | — |
| September 21, 2021 | Bethlehem | United States | Wind Creek Event Center | — | — | — |
| September 22, 2021 | Philadelphia | United States | Franklin Music Hall | — | — | — |
| September 24, 2021 | Dover | United States | Dover Motor Speedway | — | — | — |
| December 7, 2021 | Chicago | United States | Aragon Ballroom | Girl in Red The Backseat Lovers | — | — |
| Leg 2 — North America |||||||
| April 15, 2022 | Las Vegas | United States | The Chelsea Bellroom | — | — | — |
| April 16, 2022 | Las Vegas | United States | The Chelsea Bellroom | — | — | — |
| April 17, 2022 | Las Vegas | United States | The Chelsea Bellroom | — | — | — |
| April 26, 2022 | Monterrey | Mexico | Arena Monterrey | Dawes | 28,000 / 28,000 | $1,341,987 |
| April 27, 2022 | Monterrey | Mexico | Arena Monterrey | Dawes | 28,000 / 28,000 | $1,341,987 |
| April 29, 2022 | Mexico City | Mexico | Foro Sol | Dawes | 64,511 / 64,511 | $3,609,174 |
| May 1, 2022 | Zapopan | Mexico | Estadio Tres de Marzo | Dawes | 26,293 / 26,293 | $1,876,660 |
| Leg 3 — Europe |||||||
| May 17, 2022 | Sheffield | England | O$_2$ Academy Sheffield | — | — | — |
| May 24, 2022 | Doncaster | England | Eco-Power Stadium | Blossoms | 22,785 / 22,785 | $2,048,923 |
| May 26, 2022 | Bristol | England | Ashton Gate Stadium | Manic Street Preachers | 31,191 / 31,191 | $2,925,349 |
| May 28, 2022 | Coventry | England | Coventry Building Society Arena | Manic Street Preachers | 35,116 / 37,340 | $3,050,248 |
| May 30, 2022 | Southampton | England | St Mary's Stadium | Blossoms | 31,149 / 31,149 | $2,752,912 |
| June 1, 2022 | Middlesbrough | England | Riverside Stadium | Manic Street Preachers | 30,090 / 30,090 | $2,635,898 |
| June 3, 2022 | London | England | Emirates Stadium | Sam Fender | 111,230 / 111,230 | $10,911,412 |
| June 4, 2022 | London | England | Emirates Stadium | Sam Fender | 111,230 / 111,230 | $10,911,412 |
| June 6, 2022 | Falkirk | Scotland | Falkirk Stadium | Blossoms | 51,066 / 51,950 | $4,594,931 |
| June 7, 2022 | Falkirk | Scotland | Falkirk Stadium | Supergrass | 51,066 / 51,950 | $4,594,931 |
| June 9, 2022 | Norwich | England | Carrow Road | Blossoms | 25,236 / 25,236 | $2,278,661 |
| June 11, 2022 | Manchester | England | Emirates Old Trafford | Blossoms | 50,000 / 50,000 | $4,248,038 |
| June 14, 2022 | Malahide | Ireland | Malahide Castle | Blossoms | 49,779 / 49,779 | $3,624,422 |
| June 15, 2022 | Malahide | Ireland | Malahide Castle | Blossoms | 49,779 / 49,779 | $3,624,422 |
| June 17, 2022 | Scheeßel | Germany | Eichenring | — | — | — |
| June 18, 2022 | Neuhausen ob Eck | Germany | Neuhausen ob Eck Airfield | — | — | — |
| June 20, 2022 | Zagreb | Croatia | Lake Jarun | — | — | — |
| June 21, 2022 | Milan | Italy | Hippodromo de San Siro | — | — | — |
| June 22, 2022 | Sopron | Hungary | Volt Festival Grounds | — | — | — |
| July 2, 2022 | Gdynia | Poland | Gdynia-Kosakowo Airport | — | — | — |
| July 3, 2022 | Werchter | Belgium | Werchter Festivalpark | — | — | — |
| July 5, 2022 | Paris | France | Grande Seine | Orville Peck | — | — |
| July 7, 2022 | Madrid | Spain | Caja Mágica | — | — | — |
| July 8, 2022 | Bilbao | Spain | Kobetamendi | — | — | — |
| July 10, 2022 | Esch-sur-Alzette | Luxembourg | Rockhal | — | — | — |
| July 12, 2022 | Vienna | Austria | Wiener Stadthalle | The Lathums | 9,766 / 10,744 | $578,384 |
| July 14, 2022 | Ostrava | Czech Republic | Lower Vítkovice | — | — | — |
| July 16, 2022 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Ziggo Dome | The Lathums | 10,196 / 10,196 | $602,909 |
| Leg 4 — North America |||||||
| August 19, 2022 | Vancouver | Canada | Rogers Arena | Johnny Marr | 11,231 / 11,322 | $695,087 |
| August 20, 2022 | Seattle | United States | Climate Pledge Arena | Johnny Marr | 13,968 / 14,086 | $915,737 |
| August 21, 2022 | Portland | United States | Moda Center | Johnny Marr | 11,689 / 11,689 | $739,480 |
| August 23, 2022 | San Francisco | United States | Chase Center | Johnny Marr | 12,204 / 12,204 | $1,155,687 |
| August 24, 2022 | San Diego | United States | Pechanga Arena | Johnny Marr | 10,289 / 11,036 | $650,784 |
| August 26, 2022 | Las Vegas | United States | T-Mobile Arena | Johnny Marr | 15,139 / 15,453 | $1,254,680 |
| August 27, 2022 | Los Angeles | United States | Banc of California Stadium | Johnny Marr | 23,439 / 23,439 | $2,068,055 |
| August 28, 2022 | Glendale | United States | Gila River Arena | Johnny Marr | 12,870 / 13,160 | $629,255 |
| August 30, 2022 | Salt Lake City | United States | Vivint Arena | Johnny Marr | 9,780 / 10,368 | $747,177 |
| August 31, 2022 | Denver | United States | Ball Arena | Johnny Marr | 11,168 / 11,397 | $879,854 |
| September 9, 2022 | Austin | United States | Moody Center | Johnny Marr | 10,828 / 10,828 | $880,630 |
| September 10, 2022 | Fort Worth | United States | Dickies Arena | Johnny Marr | 12,964 / 13,225 | $737,731 |
| September 13, 2022 | Miami | United States | FTX Arena | Johnny Marr | 11,694 / 11,694 | $835,336 |
| September 14, 2022 | Orlando | United States | Amway Center | Johnny Marr | 11,316 / 12,037 | $589,336 |
| September 16, 2022 | Atlanta | United States | State Farm Arena | Johnny Marr | 10,061 / 10,061 | $670,989 |
| September 17, 2022 | Nashville | United States | Bridgestone Arena | Johnny Marr | 14,413 / 14,607 | $775,784 |
| September 20, 2022 | Saint Paul | United States | Xcel Energy Center | Johnny Marr | 10,306 / 11,107 | $659,002 |
| September 21, 2022 | Chicago | United States | United Center | Johnny Marr | 13,690 / 13,690 | $1,075,009 |
| September 23, 2022 | Toronto | Canada | Scotiabank Arena | Johnny Marr | 13,827 / 13,827 | $905,524 |
| September 24, 2022 | Montreal | Canada | Bell Centre | Johnny Marr | 11,374 / 11,374 | $631,181 |
| September 26, 2022 | Verona | United States | Turning Stone Event Center | Johnny Marr | 4,318 / 4,706 | $355,800 |
| September 27, 2022 | Philadelphia | United States | Wells Fargo Center | Johnny Marr | 12,455 / 12,455 | $833,158 |
| September 30, 2022 | New York City | United States | Madison Square Garden | Johnny Marr | 26,206 / 26,206 | $1,813,218 |
| October 1, 2022 | New York City | United States | Madison Square Garden | Johnny Marr | 26,206 / 26,206 | $1,813,218 |
| October 3, 2022 | Boston | United States | TD Garden | Johnny Marr | 12,582 / 12,582 | $1,048,683 |
| October 4, 2022 | University Park | United States | Bryce Jordan Center | Johnny Marr | 8,662 / 9,298 | $596,756 |
| October 7, 2022 | Cleveland | United States | Wolstein Center | Johnny Marr | 11,022 / 11, 130 | $793,407 |
| October 8, 2022 | Detroit | United States | Little Caesars Arena | Johnny Marr | 14,334 / 14,334 | $804,602 |
| October 10, 2022 | Washington, D.C. | United States | Capital One Arena | Johnny Marr | 14,013 / 14,013 | $851,458 |
| October 12, 2022 | Washington, D.C. | United States | The Anthem | Johnny Marr | 6,000 / 6,000 | $851,458 |
| Leg 5 — South America |||||||
| November 8, 2022 | Bogotá | Colombia | Coliseo Live | Hot Chip | 12,441 / 12,441 | $842,131 |
| November 10, 2022 | Santiago | Chile | Estadio Santa Laura | — | — | — |
| November 12, 2022 | São Paulo | Brazil | Allianz Parque | — | — | — |
| November 14, 2022 | Brasília | Brazil | Arena BRB Mané Garrincha | Capital Inicial Raimundos Jovem Dionisio | — | — |
| Leg 6 — Oceania |||||||
| November 21, 2022 | Auckland | New Zealand | Spark Arena | Jack Ladder | 11,380 / 11,380 | $921,320 |
| November 25, 2022 | Christchurch | New Zealand | Christchurch Arena | Jack Ladder | 8,120 / 8,120 | $725,779 |
| November 29, 2022 | Brisbane | Australia | Brisbane Entertainment Centre | Alex Cameron | 21,863 / 22,191 | $2,049,085 |
| November 30, 2022 | Brisbane | Australia | Brisbane Entertainment Centre | Alex Cameron | 21,863 / 22,191 | $2,049,085 |
| December 3, 2022 | Tanunda | Australia | Peter Lehmann Wines | Jack Ladder | 7,893 / 7,893 | $728,840 |
| December 4, 2022 | Adelaide | Australia | Adelaide 500 | — | — | — |
| December 6, 2022 | Perth | Australia | RAC Arena | Alex Cameron | 14,626 / 14,626 | $1,409,580 |
| December 10, 2022 | Geelong | Australia | Mount Dundeed Estate | Jack Ladder Alex Cameron | 20,000 / 20,000 | $1,967,667 |
| December 13, 2022 | Melbourne | Australia | Rod Laver Arena | Alex Cameron | 21,619 / 22,733 | $2,330,757 |
| December 14, 2022 | Melbourne | Australia | Rod Laver Arena | Alex Cameron | 21,619 / 22,733 | $2,330,757 |
| December 17, 2022 | Pokolbin | Australia | Hope Estate | Jack Ladder Alex Cameron | 19,079 / 19,079 | $1,839,059 |
| December 19, 2022 | Sydney | Australia | Qudos Bank Arena | Alex Cameron | 15,513 / 16,316 | $1,464,272 |
| Leg 7 — North America |||||||
| December 31, 2022 | Las Vegas | United States | The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas | Me Nd Adam | — | — |
| March 16, 2023 | Atlantic City | United States | Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena | The Lemon Twigs | — | — |
| March 17, 2023 | Uncasville | United States | Mohegan Sun Arena | The Lemon Twigs | 6,684 / 6,684 | $774,265 |
| March 19, 2023 | Pittsburgh | United States | Petersen Events Center | The Lemon Twigs Ted Sablay | — | — |
| March 21, 2023 | Columbus | United States | Schottenstein Center | The Lemon Twigs Ted Sablay | — | — |
| March 22, 2023 | St. Louis | United States | Chaifetz Arena | The Lemon Twigs Ted Sablay | — | — |
| March 24, 2023 | Durant | United States | Choctaw Grand Theater | The Lemon Twigs Ted Sablay | — | — |
| March 30, 2023 | Tlajomulco de Zuñiga | Mexico | Arena VFG | TBA | — | — |
| April 1, 2023 | Mexico City | Mexico | Palacio de los Deportes | TBA | — | — |
| April 2, 2023 | Monterrey | Mexico | Parque Fundidora | — | — | — |
| May 5, 2023 | Atlanta | United States | Central Park | — | — | — |
| May 7, 2023 | West Palm Beach | United States | West Palm Beach | — | — | — |
| May 8, 2023 | St. Augustine | United States | St. Augustine Amphitheatre | TBA | — | — |
| May 11, 2023 | Gary | United States | Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana | TBA | — | — |
| May 12, 2023 | Omaha | United States | Steelhouse Omaha | — | — | — |
| May 14, 2023 | Houston | United States | Toyota Center | The Lemon Twigs | — | — |
| July 13, 2023 | Minneapolis | United States | First Avenue | | — | — |
| July 14, 2023 | Minneapolis | United States | Target Field | — | — | — |
| Leg 8 — Europe |||||||
| August 15, 2023 | Shekvetili | Georgia | Black Sea Arena | — | — | — |
| August 18, 2023 | Bratislava | Slovakia | Vajnory Airport | — | — | — |
| August 20, 2023 | Hasselt | Belgium | Kempische Steenweg | — | — | — |
| August 23, 2023 | Zurich | Switzerland | Festivalgelände Glattbrugg | — | — | — |
| August 26, 2023 | Reading | England | Little John's Farm | — | — | — |
| August 27, 2023 | Leeds | England | Bramham Park | — | — | — |
| August 29, 2023 | Edinburgh | Scotland | Royal Highland Centre | Johnny Marr | — | — |
| September 1, 2023 | Belfast | Northern Ireland | Boucher Road Playing Fields | Johnny Marr | — | — |
| September 3, 2023 | County Laois | Ireland | Stradbally Hall | — | — | — |
| Leg 9 — North America |||||||
| September 15, 2023 | Louisville | United States | Kentucky Expo Center | — | — | — |
| September 16, 2023 | Asbury Park | United States | Asbury Park | — | — | — |
| September 18, 2023 | Reno | United States | Grand Sierra Resort | Joshua Ray Walker | — | — |
| September 19, 2023 | Reno | United States | Grand Sierra Resort | Joshua Ray Walker | — | — |
| September 21, 2023 | Highland | United States | Yaamava' Resort & Casino | | — | — |
| September 22, 2023 | Las Vegas | United States | Downtown Las Vegas | — | — | — |
| September 27, 2023 | Wheatland | United States | Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento | | — | — |
| September 29, 2023 | Dana Point | United States | Doheny State Beach | — | — | — |
| October 18, 2023 | Austin | United States | Emo's | | — | — |
| October 20, 2023 | Austin | United States | Circuit of the Americas | N/A | — | — |
| Leg 10 — South America |||||||
| November 30, 2023 | São Paulo | Brazil | Tokio Marine Hall | | — | — |
| December 2, 2023 | São Paulo | Brazil | Interlagos Circuit | N/A | — | — |

## Cancelled shows

List of cancelled concerts showing date, city, country, venue and reason for cancellation :
| Date | City | Country | Venue | Reason |
| August 21, 2021 | New York City | United States | Great Lawn of Central Park | Hurricane Henri |
| September 30, 2021 | Augusta-Richmond County | United States | William B. Bell Auditorium | COVID-19 |
| July 1, 2022 | Stockholm | Sweden | Ladugardsgardet | Aircraft mechanical problem |
| July 17, 2022 | Moscow | Russia | Luzhniki Olympic Complex | Russian invasion of Ukraine |

## Personnel

Credits adapted from LasVegasRoundTheClock and Consequence of Sound

### The Killers

* Brandon Flowers - lead vocals, keyboards, piano, bass on "For Reasons Unknown"
* Dave Keuning - lead guitar, backing vocals (did not appear on May 17 - June 22, 2022, returned to the tour on July 2, 2022 in Gdynia, Poland, absent in 2023 dates)
* Ronnie Vannucci Jr. - drums, percussion, rhythm guitar on "For Reasons Unknown" (audience member on drums)

### Additional musicians

* Ted Sablay - keyboards, rhythm guitar, lead guitar (May 17 - June 22, 2022 and 2023 dates), musical director, backing vocals
* Jake Blanton - bass, backing vocals
* Taylor Milne - rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
* Robbie Connolly - keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
* Erica Canales - background vocals
* Melissa Mcmillan - background vocals
* Tori Allen - background vocals, violin, acoustic guitar