The main event lasted only 65 minutes, just long enough for the Killers to play all their hits and nearly all of their hit album and still have time for a Pink Floyd cover.

That's what happens to a band that hits a peak early: It doesn't have enough material to keep a good show going.

Tuesday night's show at the Uptown Theater proved a couple of other things, though.

As a live band, the Killers can live up to their name, and they make it feel like some of this '80s dance/rock/revival thing may have some sturdy legs under it.

As the band's logo beamed and flashed in bright white lights, like a sign in their hometown (Las Vegas), the Killers took the stage and lit into the first three songs, in order, off the album “Hot Fuss.”

They write songs that stick to a formula, but it's mostly a winning formula: big hooks, loud choruses and a mix of rock licks and dance grooves that can be positively irresistible.

Brandon Flowers is the band's suit-and-bowtie lead singer, and he lards his frontman act with lots of camp, glam and showboat shtick.

It all fits in with the music, assuming he's not taking too much of it seriously.

He is also the band's keyboard man, a big job considering how much accent and spice his lines add to a sound that can get redundant after a while.

The crowd this evening was ready for everything: the two big hits (“Somebody Told Me” and “Mr. Brightside”) and other bash-happy songs from the album, especially “Change Your Mind” and “Andy You're a Star.”

The Killers closed the show with an odd one-two punch: a surprisingly worthwhile rendition of Pink Floyd's “Time” and then one of the more raucous and fervent numbers off “Fuss,” “All These Things That I've Done,” which set off an evangelical dance-along/sing-along in the very full house.

When that one was done, the lights went up and the place slowly emptied. It felt like a sudden ending, but the party's always over when all the grooves are gone.

SETLIST: Jenny Was a Friend of Mine, Mr. Brightside, Smile Like You Mean It, Change Your Mind, Andy You're a Star, Under the Gun, Somebody Told Me, All the Pretty Places, Indie Rock 'n' Roll, Midnight Show.