The Killers know not of subtlety. The Las Vegas rock band blew into the Bell Centre last night, opening their show with an arty black-and-white montage and a downpour of confetti.

Then came the full-throttle barrage that is their sound - all bright-eyed, bushy-tailed flash. This band gives rock 'n' roll a lush, glitzy presentation to make its hometown proud. And it gave the 11,000 fans in attendance what they came for.

Montreal audiences are not known for containing their enthusiasm, and the singalongs started right out the gates, with the first song, Sam's Town, also the title track of the band's second album. To hammer the point home, a lit-up Sam's Town sign hung high above the stage.

Singer Brandon Flowers, dapper in a white dress-shirt and black vest (we would have shown you a pic, but the band refused entry to media photographers) stood centre stage at the keyboard, delivering his lines with a passionate yelp.

When You Were Young, next, barrelled along with anthemic portent. The crowd jumped in time to the Springsteen-inspired epic. Like many of the songs on the new album, it finds the Killers trying to add substance to their hyper-developed sense of style.

Well, Brandon is no Bruce, nor does he pretend to be. To the band's credit, it came as advertised - brash, swaggering and with a calculated cool quotient.

The new material elicited enthusiasm, but the songs off the group's debut Hot Fuss won the popularity contest. Somebody Told Me, early on, drew a roar from the first notes. Ditto for On Top, later on.

Flowers sat at the piano for the beginning of Bling (Confession of a King), before getting up to shout it out and stomp around - see above reference to quest for substance.

They saved the best for last. The Killers are at their peak when they don't overthink things. Hot Fuss's definitive single, Mr. Brightside, barrelled in with all the runaway abandon it deserved, leaving fans screaming for more at the encore.

Flowers led an emphatic round of handclaps on the dark ballad My List, the first respite of the night. At least it started off that way; the band soon joined in to, er, pomp it up.

They packed 17 songs from their two albums into 85 minutes, spreading the hits out just enough to keep everyone on board till the end. Naysayers can say what they may, but people respond to the Killers' delusions of grandeur.

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