More about: U2The KillersJoy DivisionBrandon Flowers

Brandon Flowers opens The Killers’ headline Hyde Park show with ‘The Man’ - the lead single from their forthcoming album, Wonderful Wonderful - while wearing a luminous, flamingo pink jacket. It is a choice befitting their Las Vegas roots as confetti bursts from the stage.

Four years on from the Nevada group’s first arena show at London’s 02 Arena, Flowers has rejoined drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr, guitarist Dave Keuning and bassist Mark Stoermer with mean intent, made clear by a barnstorming secret set at Glastonbury a fortnight ago.

‘Somebody Told Me’, a familiar friend to thousands, gets the crowd jumping instantly in a fit of welcome nostalgia. ‘Smile Like You Mean It’ is another early big-hitter, and joins ‘Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine’ in the flurry.

Paying homage to the band’s seminal second record, Sam’s Town, Flowers says: “There were a couple of songs that surprised us that we hadn’t been playing.”

“One of those songs was ‘This River Is Wild’,” he continues, adding with typically self-deprecating confidence that, “The man who sings ‘This River Is Wild’ does not wear a pink leather jacket.” A switch to a black diamond lapel blazer follows, amid swoons from an adoring crowd, before the track does indeed remind all of the strength of the band’s discography.

Suitably warmed-up, Flowers sits atop the piano to introduce ‘Human’ - famed for its baffling, yet catchy “Are we human, or are we dancers?” refrain - and lets the sea of faces take over the singing duties.

But, just as a sense of all-star hits threatens to overwhelm, a curveball is thrown with the band’s surprise cover of Joy Division’s ‘Shadowplay’. In their hands it becomes a stadium-ready monster and, with an added splattering of synths, gets the crowd jumping to a song that otherwise calls for sombre appreciation.

Eventually focus moves to the Americana-inspired sound of 2008’s Day And Age, and their most recent release, Battle Born. ‘A Dustland Fairytale’, an ode to the strength of Flowers’ parents’ relationship, tugs at the heartstrings, while ‘Runaways’ indulges the crowd with a huge U2 inspired sing-along chorus.

Under a blazing sunset, the scale of tracks is impressive. ‘Read My Mind’ unites the crowd further, before the closing encore of ‘When You Were Young’ and ‘Mr Brightside’.

Wild, yet composed, crowd-pleasing and, above all, classy. Little wonder that tonight’s event is sold out, a point Brandon makes by asking for the lineup poster to be put up on the stage screens.

Playful? Of course - but also deadly serious. Emily Eavis, take note for 2019.

More about: U2The KillersJoy DivisionBrandon Flowers