Adam Keys
Keuning @ Newcastle 02 Academy 2, October 27 2019
The Killers‘ founding member and iconic guitarist has forged a career that many can only dream of, but after almost two decades of headlining festivals, arenas and stadiums, Dave Keuning has made the decision to go solo.
In January, under the moniker of Keuning, the alt rock star released his debut solo album, Prismism, to rave media reviews. The album, which is a far cry from The Killers’ singalong, radio friendly sound proved a bold move from Keuning, but one that is quickly paying off, as an impressive Newcastle show proved.
With a album to promote, hearing some of Keuning’s Killers hits was always going to be a long shot and so it proved, as the big haired guitarist played a set consisting entirely of his highly impressive solo material, along with a couple of covers for good measure.
Unlike many solo artists, Keuning’s new music has gone straight onto mainstream radio, with major label backing and prime TV show appearances helping him sell tickets and win over fans at pace. This backing, and huge exposure showed with a huge number of fans already versed in every word of his set, with Pretty Faithful, Prismism, The Queens Finest and The Boat Accident all receiving a singalong response from the Geordie audience.
With just 14 solo tracks to his name, beefing out a setlist was always going to be difficult, for Keuning and his 80s-style synth pop. With a refusal to play any of the stuff that got him to the top (rightly so, in some ways) his set lasted just over an hour, a cover of Depeche Mode’s Enjoy The Silence, and his biggest solo track to date, Restless Legs, drawing the night to a close.
Despite the relatively short set, few left the 02 Academy disappointed, as Keuning provided an engaging performance, with plenty of energy stemming from his new found style!
Images By Adam Kennedy