If The Killers didn't know they were in Toronto they might have thought they were back on The O.C. With Mischa Barton and Adam Brody lookalikes running rampant around the Molson Amphitheatre it was apparent that for many of these fresh-out-of-high-school teens, The O.C was where they first discovered their favourite new wave foursome.

However, for those who've followed The Killers' career since Hot Fuss was released last June, hearing that the Las Vegas group were playing the large outdoor Molson Amp stage was a cause for concern. Could they sell out? Could their club show translate to a big open stage?

According to singer Brandon Flowers, this recent Toronto show was the largest crowd they've ever played to on their own tour. Fortunately, this didn't faze the group. Flanked by a bright illuminated Killers sign and red backdrop, The Killers took the stage to thundering applause. However, before launching into "Midnight Show" Flowers set the pretension meter to high saying, "We are the hounds of hell and I promise you our bark is much worse than our bite."

For most of The O.C. approved crowd, The Killers are their first introduction to the world of '80s new wave, but for the fans with a little perspective it was quite amusing to see Flowers ape The Cure and The Smiths. His red jacket, dress shirt and tie get-up coupled with some mascara and eyeliner transformed him into a younger Robert Smith, while his stage strut and hand motions were classic Morrissey.

But for most of the near-capacity audience, it didn't matter what era The Killers were copying — they wanted to rock out. The band wasted no time in pulling out the hits playing, "Andy, You're A Star " and "Somebody Told Me" near the top of the set. Unfortunately, this created a bit of a lull mid-set.

With the perfect weather and an ecstatic audience, The Killers were clearly in their element. Like their previous Toronto performances, the band played a relatively short set, hammering out only 13 tunes — most from Hot Fuss, with a couple new tracks thrown in as well.

By the end of the night, the band's pretensions wore off and it was clear they were having a good time. Before finishing their set with the gospel-y U2 sounding "All These Things That I've Done," Flowers showed his appreciation for the Great White North. "We're very grateful for the way Canada has accepted us. It's unbelievable." With that the Moz-like flounce disappeared and Flowers proweled around the stage like he was in a rock 'n' roll band, not an '80s music video.