It's in the refrain-

I didn't listen.

I’m so much older than I can take.

In the last 10 to 15 years, I would say I have been to at least 50 concerts. That is truly a ballpark guess, an estimate, if I actually counted I don’t know what the number would be. But around 50 sounds about right. And rather excessive.

This is probably because I had to make up for lost time, since my first concert was The Goo Goo Dolls at age 17 when my sister made me go with her and her almost-boyfriend because she didn’t want to go alone with him. (Obviously I have no regrets and I still have the t-shirt to this day. Iris forever.)

If you can, hold on.

The truth is, there is only one concert I can remember even thinking about wanting to attend before this. Concert-going never really seemed like an option for me. This is probably due to my lack of funds, lack of imagination & motivation, and a surplus of parents who didn’t appear super keen on letting their children go to events of many sorts.

Circa fall 2006, I found out The Killers were playing in Las Vegas to promote their new album Sam’s Town. How I came across this information, I truly have no idea but I do know I wished with my whole heart that I could go see them. Somehow though, even knowing how much I would love to see them in concert, I didn’t even think to ask my mom if I could go. I just assumed I couldn’t, so I didn’t really try. Vegas was far, gross, and expensive, and it was a school night. In what world would she say yes?

I want to stand up.

Even though I didn’t go to the concert, I made a Killers shirt for myself to wear to school the day after. Just so I could feel close to them, I guess. And when I say I made a shirt, I mean I took a white t-shirt, cut off the bottom half, cut up the middle in the front so it was like those little shoulder vest things you could wear to make a tank top modest (I forget what they were called but IYKYK), and wrote on the back in Crayola marker—

I’VE GOT SOUL BUT I’M NOT A SOLDIER

Was there a better refrain to come out of the 2000’s? I submit not.

(This very indie, slightly emo kid saw my homemade Killers shirt and asked if I went to the show. I told him I did not and he said he did and he was right up front. This was my first taste of seething anger at those around me who come so close to Brandon while I stay lightyears away.)

My personal opinion is that All These Things That I’ve Done was a hint, a premonition of what would be known as The Killers’ truest sound: Big, dramatic, Americana, anthemic.

And we are still here for it.

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Extra Credit-

We actually know what/who the song was about.

Brandon once said "I think Chris Martin knows what I meant by ('I got soul, but I'm not a soldier'). In fact, he is the only person I've ever met that within a few minutes of talking to him, I could see he totally got me.You know, he is very competitive. He said to me: 'You know, I'm your only competition'. I love that! It just makes me want to run back to the tour bus and write a song that wiped the floor with anything Coldplay have done."

This song is often covered, including by Coldplay. Case in point.

The music video with the baby Killers. This look is one of those premonitions to Sam’s Town.

Just always a banger live.