Myself and traveling companions amused ourselves by passing the three hour drive to Franshoek by imagining worser case scenarios. For example we could have been stuck in the same traffic jam on the way home after a crazy three day trance party; everyone is stinky and dirty, one of the passengers has just thrown up over themselves, the CD is stuck on "My heart will go on" by Miss Celine Dion at a loud volume and can't be turned off or down, a swarm of mosquito's have managed to get trapped in the car, none of the windows can roll down, the heater can not be turned off and we are stuck behind a giant fish truck with serious exhaust fume problems. Yes it could have been a lot worse.
The lack of easily accessible alcohol and a long tiring walk before hand not surprisingly contributed to a rather un-excited mood in the crowd. Even at the frontline in the Golden Circle energy did not seem as hyped at it should have been. Of course songs like “Mr Brightside” and “All These Things That I've Done” got us jumping but with regards to the amount of money spent on tickets and what felt like the great "killer" trek both there and back, it hardly seemed worthwhile. Which is a shame indeed as SA is usually rather starved for big international acts to head to our shores and when they do you want to feel like you took full advantage of them and not the other way round.
Alright perhaps enough grumbling for now it wasn't all bad. Other than not being so practical or conveniently situated the Val Di Vie Polo Estate is a truly beautiful venue and the weather could not have been more perfect. The Killers as expected were polished and professional and genuinely seemed happy to be there or at least front man Mr Flowers seemed to be. Quite the entertainer he leapt and strutted around the stage in a charmingly camp and sexy way. There were also pretty paper and pyrotechnic explosions towards the end of the concert, though someone will have to explain the reason behind the small plastic skeletons and fake sunflowers adorning the stage, ironic kitsch perhaps?
The concert ends and the band is called on for an encore by shouts of “we want more” and “I've got soul but I'm not a soldier” and plays “Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine” and “When You Were Young” cue pretty pyrotechnic shower and a more excited crowd, now that's more like it. Alas once the band had left the stage for good those happy feeling were quickly dampened by the realization that the long trek home had just begun and it would be far worse than the walk and ride to get there plus the fact that tomorrow was a Monday and alarms would need to be set for most. Unfortunately the Killers concert for me was a bit like a birthday or a New Years Eve party where a whole lot of planning and excitement surround the event that once over inevitably leaves you with a great big fat anticlimax of a feeling.
