Brandon Flowers imagines “what would New Order sound like if they were Johnny Cash” at spellbinding Royal Albert Hall gig

Brandon Flowers brought his solo ‘Thrasher’ tour to the Royal Albert Hall on 15 October, playing a 20-song show that mixed new material with Killers songs. The gig showcased the country music that shaped his childhood in Utah, offering a personal account of influences less visible in his rock-star image.

Flowers recalled growing up with songs by Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings, and said he had wanted to embrace those roots for years. He performed tracks from his August album, including ‘Tiger’s Blood’ and ‘Lonely Road’, alongside Killers songs such as ‘In the Car Outside’ and ‘Read My Mind’; he described the two musical worlds as able to coexist.