Why photographers are hating on The Killers front man Brandon Flowers

Brandon Flowers says photographers are welcome at Killers shows, but photographers say they're not. Photo/Getty

Brandon Flowers probably thought he was doing the right thing when he praised photographers during a recent concert.

The Killers front man told the crowd at the KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas Show that photographers were "welcome" and "respected" at their gigs.

Flowers was referencing the controversy surrounding Queens of the Stone Age front man Josh Homme, who has apologised after kicking a photographer's camera into her face during the band's show at the same event.

NME.com reported Flowers then invited the group's official tour photographer Rob Loud onto the stage and embraced him.

"I'm not going to kick you in the face, just come on up here, it's okay," Flowers reportedly told Loud, as seen in footage of the incident.

"I just want to tell you to tell all your friends that you're welcome here, and at Killers concerts you're safe and respected."

He continued: "They make us look good - we need to take care of these people."

Sounds like a solid thing to say, right?

Not according to concert photographers who have united against Flowers over his comments.

According to Billboard, many claim The Killers aren't welcoming of them at their shows at all, saying they aren't allowed to shoot the band's shows.

"He was the only artist that weekend that doesn't allow himself to be photographed," one told Billboard.

It's a bit rich of Brandon Flowers @thekillers to do this when they don't approve photographers at shows. He only lets his brother in law shoot their shows.

— Aaron Corr (@aaron_corr) December 11, 2017

“I just want to tell you to tell all of your friends that you’re welcome here, and at any Killers concert, you’re safe and you’re respected.” Guess respect only extends to their tour photog, since they kicked all the others out b4 their set, as usual. 🤨

— Steve Carlson (@SteveCarlsonSF) December 11, 2017

sorry @brandonflowers but this comes across so hypocritical. @thekillers are notorious for not allowing photographers. You basically have a flat out BAN on them. Even at @globalcitizen festival where the photos were helping support a good cause you said no

— irocktheshot (@joepapeo) December 11, 2017

The Killers are set to perform three shows in New Zealand next April.