This is Part 1 of an ongoing story about my passion and love for The Killers

It’s a beautiful July afternoon at the Mohegan Sun Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut and I’m heading to my hotel room. Well, at least I had intentions of it, but I thought I would pay my mom a visit while she was poolside. She hasn’t heard from me in over an hour or so but she understands I am preoccupied. It’s the eve of what will be a two-day extravaganza with my favorite band, The Killers. Two shows, two days - the first in Connecticut and the other in Atlantic City the following evening. Besides the shows looming in the coming hours I have also gotten word that the band are “roaming” around the property. After word of this I found myself anxiously scanning crowds and double taking at anyone that resembles my hero, inspiration, role model, and idol Brandon Flowers. Brandon (or as I commonly refer to him as Brando) has touched my life in the most positive way. I truly love him. He inspires me everyday and he means the world to me. Not only has his incredible and life changing music become a major part of my life he reminds me daily to never give up, always give it your all, be a great person and countless other life lessons I will always take with me. Little did I know I would have the chance to tell him this in just under five minutes time.

As the elevator reached the third floor, I was a bit turned around. After a minute of wandering I finally found the signs taking me down a hallway where the pool and the gym was. Climbing a small flight of stairs with a ramp parallel to it I see large double doors leading to pool. Half of the outer patio is underneath a roof and the far end is baking in sunlight. Knowing how much my mom enjoys catching her rays, I head towards the far doors not without taking a quick glance inside the adjacent gym. It was quite quiet through the glass windows, one man was on the treadmill, another on a stationary bike, a weight-lifter in the back, and a man by the door bent down stretching talking on the gym phone with a towel around his neck. Almost as instinct, my attention immediately goes to focus on this man by the door. After glancing inquisitively at him for a few moments, he stands back up straight and it’s him-Brandon Flowers. We make eye contact, and I wave. He waves back, with a somewhat puzzled motion, almost as if he was trying to figure out what was going on. From this moment on I begin to lose it - my heart starts racing, my breathing becomes irregular as it slowly dawns on me that I could have an opportunity to meet my favorite frontman. I pace back down the hallway a few feet trying to mentally prepare myself for what may happen in the coming moments. Suddenly, the gym door opens and he’s in the hallway. “Hey Brandon!,” I call out. He responds with a wave, a smile and a quick “hey!” “I was going to see my mom by the pool and I saw you,” I begin to ramble as he makes his way towards me. At this point the world started spinning around me, I had no idea of time or what my surrounding were but I was with my idol and in that moment that’s all that mattered. We shake hands as he closes in next to me and I begin to show my gratitude. “I just want to let you know you mean so much to me, you inspire me everyday and I can’t thank you enough - you mean the world to me, thank you so much for everything.” “Thank you!,” he replied and added “Oh yeah, music can be really powerful!” Next I asked him if he could sign my “Somewhere Outside That Finish Line” book, documenting their 2013 world tour supporting their 2012 album “Battle Born.” After fumbling through my bag I find a gold sharpie and flip open the book to my favorite picture-Brandon at Wembley Stadium playing their biggest show to date, 90,000 people.

“That’s my favorite picture too,” Brandon says excitedly before asking how to spell my name. Once he closed the book I ask for a quick picture. After a few failed selfies due to my hands shaking too much, he takes my phone himself and snaps a photo of us.

With another quick word of gratitude and explanation of my partaking in the back to back shows he is on his way, but not before exclaiming: “Bye, Ethan!” with a wave. I wave back and then promptly drop to the floor short for breath while trying to realize what had just taken place.

Just typing this out gave me goosebumps. I found myself at times sitting at my laptop just smiling while recounting this encounter. I have been fortunate enough to have met my hero five times - in New York in March 2015, Philadelphia in July 2015, New York City in December 2015, Las Vegas in April 2016, and add to the list, Connecticut 2016.

NYC-December 2015, after John Lennon Tribute

Although every encounter I have with him has been nothing short of extraordinary, this most recent one will always be special to me because I was able to express my gratitude to him and explain how much he means to me. Knowing that he knows how grateful I am that brings a smile to my face, and it set an incredible theme for what the two days ahead had in store.

This story begins long before July 2016 though. In the fall of 2014 it was a well timed radio listen to The Killers hit “Read My Mind,” off their sophomore album “Sam’s Town,” that got me hooked on the band. The song grabbed my attention instantaneously-the chorus was unlike nothing I had ever heard before, it was incredible. After the initial listen to that song I found myself wanting more. I began diving into their entire discography and I quickly began to find songs that immediately became favorites. From songs that I liked it became favorites, from favorites it became albums and soon it was clear I had found my favorite band. Along with immersing myself with The Killers, I also became quite fond of Brandon’s solo work. At the time I got onto them Brandon had one solo album out, “Flamingo,” named after the road in Las Vegas.

Just a few months after I got into both The Killers and Brandon’s solo work, Brandon announced the release of his second solo record “The Desired Effect.” slated for a May 2015 release. This album will always hold a special place in my heart for it not only being my first release once I became a Victim (Yes, that is what us super fans call ourselves - think about the play on words) but my first live show for either The Killers or Brandon was during the supporting tour for the album. On a freezing cold night in March I watched Brandon play a spectacular show to a sold out Webster Hall in New York City.

Webster Hall-March 2015

Through a set playing material from his first album “Flamingo,” as well as cuts from his new record along with some Killers’ classics, Brandon owned the stage.

A few months later I got the chance to see The Killers for the very first time at the Firefly Music Festival in Dover, Delaware. Although I was there for the entire weekend festival experience, I couldn’t wait to see my favorites for the first time. In what would become the first of many experiences lining up early for barrier, Sunday began by lining up outside the festival gates 2 hours before the initial opening at noon. As the clock struck 12 a half mile mad dash ended by snagging a spot on barrier (good thing I run track!)

Firefly Music Festival 2015

The 9 and a half hour wait from front row was worth every second of the wait, and shortly before 10 PM, The Killers took to the stage to absolutely rocked the festival crowd and fulfilled every expectation I had and then some of what my favorite band would be like live. As they played all my favorites I sung my heart out with my newly made friends 10 feet from the stage in what would be a night I will never forget. Walking back to my car after the show I knew, I knew that I couldn’t have been happier with the band that had become my favorite.

Throughout the rest of the summer of 2015 my Killers experiences highlighted my summer. I had the chance to see Brandon on his solo tour two more times in support of "The Desired Effect" in July 30th at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia and August 4th at Terminal 5 in New York City. Along with seeing more shows I also met and befriended many more “Victims,” some that have become my best friends with that I see on the regularly.

Outside the Electric Factory in Philadelphia-July 2015

Besides bringing me closer to an incredible community of fans, The Killers have had a remarkably positive impact on my life. I’ve never felt such a connection with a band. Their songs touch my life in a way that I have never felt with any other act. Although I really enjoy a lot of other bands no one comes close to them. They are a “home” to me in a way. The melodies, the lyrics, the riffs, the bass lines all come together in a spectacular way to me. The songs have meaning to me far deeper than what is heard on the surface. Brandon is also someone I truly look up to. He has become a hero and inspiration figure to me because of his phenomenal character and charisma. This is in the way he carries himself on stage and off too. Talking about on stage presence too, I truly believe he is one of the best frontman of all time. On a larger note, they are one of the best bands of all time, especially live. Don’t believe me? Catch them the next time they come through, I promise you won’t be disappointed.