By Katlynn Mullins
Day 1: The Killers, I Don’t Know How But They Found Me, PVRIS, Switchfoot
There was a concertgoer donned in The Killers merch, but her shirt said “The Victims.”
And victims we were. We fell victim to their stellar stage presence.
Each band member had a platform on stage and a light-up letter K stood, tilted, at the front.
The Killers hadn’t come to Tampa in 10 years, but lead singer Brandon Flowers said their absence had left them plenty of time to practice.
The ensemble remained in sync throughout The Killers’ Vegas-esque show. Of course Flowers, the frontman, did all the talking and most of the singing, but the band’s three backup singers and remaining members brought their own energies. Each demeanor was unique, but they were all cohesive.
The band formed in 2001, and 18 years of shows and stage production suited them well.
Flowers brought a fan on stage to play drums during their belty rock ballad, “For Reasons Unknown,” in place of drummer Ronnie Verrucci Jr.
They took a request — and $20 from a fan — to play the reminiscent, ’80s-sounding “Bones.”
“There must be a God. How else could we have had Tom Petty?” Flowers said before falling into Petty’s “American Girl,” then transitioning into a renditious melody of “Free Falling.”
Twice, confetti cannons exploded over the pit. Once, Flowers got a piece stuck to his forehead, but he never stopped dancing.
The beginning of day one was marked by the band I Don’t Know How But They Found Me.
Fittingly, “Nobody Likes The Opening Band,” was their first song, which earned applause and attention from the crowd.
The two-piece forwent a lead guitarist. Dallon Weekes, a former touring member of Panic! At The Disco, played bass and sang. Drummer Ryan Seaman stayed silent most of the set.
Their dynamic was similar to Twenty One Pilots, who headlined Next Big Thing in 2015 — but their sound and energy was completely individual.
PVRIS was next with their unrehearsed set, though nobody would have noticed if lead singer Lynn Gunn hadn’t pointed it out. Their genre is hard to pinpoint, and Gunn’s voice seemed to change with every song, bending to fit.
Though she was unconfident, the way she prowled about the stage said otherwise.
Switchfoot was up next with their early-2000s rock. Singing hits like “Dare You To Move,” and “Meant to Live.”
The Killers closed out the night.
“Drive safe,” Flowers said to conclude the set and the night. “Tell all your friends.”
Day 2: The 1975, Judah & The Lion, Shaed, The Band Camino
From depressed and singing on the floor with a bottle of red wine in his hand, to placing a single glass on his keyboard and dancing on stage, The 1975 frontman Matty Healy has evolved a bit.
The band played behind Bastille in 2014 at the 97X Backyard Barbecue, headlined Next Big Thing in 2016 and did it again this year.
The quartet’s jazzy, electro-pop sound has led them to a younger fan base. The set had those teenagers hanging over the rail, screaming louder than the speakers.
“Populism, globalism, all that stuff,” Healy said. “It’s everywhere.”
They started into “I Like America and America Likes Me.”
“I’m scared of dying. It’s fine,” Healy sang.
“Being young in the city. Belief and saying something. Would you please listen?”
The band had a message that night, but they also had fun.
With The 1975’s classic “Chocolate,” the pink and blue overhead lights rolled with the beat, and so did Healy’s hips.
Twin backup dancers Taitlyn and Kaylee Jaiy joined for newer hits like “Sincerity is Scary” and “It’s Not Living If It’s Not With You.”
Choreographed dance was new for Healy, but he was met with encouragement from fans.
They cried during “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes),” and relived that 2014 Tampa set with “Robbers.”
Ahead of their 90-minute set was Judah & The Lion, also veterans of Next Big Thing.
In 2015, the band played a midday set on the second stage, but it earned a spot on the main stage this year, playing hits like “Take It All Back” and “Suit and Jacket.”
Judah & The Lion’s studio songs sound lighthearted — though the lyrics aren’t — but live, lead singer Judah Akers’ voice is raspy, making the band’s sound moodier, heavier and rockier.
While most acts at the two-day festival were well-known, a title like Next Big Thing lends itself to become a platform for bands that may be the “next big thing” in music.
Shaed had a set at the 97X Barbecue earlier this year, but seeing it once was enough. While the modulated voice of lead singer Chelsea Lee drove the set, it was the same experience over again.
The act as a whole was cool to experience, but was unimpressive from a production standpoint.
On the second stage was four-piece indie-pop collective The Band Camino.
The group’s synth-pop sound stood out among acts on the smaller stage, making the early afternoon set feel like a headlining performance.
Drawing inspiration from The 1975 and The Killers, The Band Camino rolled through its freshman album “tryhard” and other singles, playing like veteran performers.
The Band Camino’s sound teeters on the edge of hard alternative rock, juxtaposed with a full use of synthesizers and other electronic add-ons.It’s most recognizable in the band’s song “Hush Hush,” the second track on the band’s latest record.
That night, fans yelled over Healy as the headliner played “Sex” to end the set. Saying nothing before they walked off stage, their on-screen visuals bowed the band members out.
“Rock ‘N’ Roll is dead. Good night. The 1975.”
Crow’s Nest Photo Editor Thomas Iacobucci contributed to this report.
The Killers return to Tampa for the first time in a decade to headline night one of Next Big Thing. 
A concertgoer poses during night one of Next Big Thing. 
Matty Healy, lead singer of The 1975, clutches his neck while singing “Tootime” on night two of Next Big Thing. 
Matty Healy, lead singer of the 1975. 
Judah Akers, lead singer of Judah and the Lion, took the stage ahead ahead of The 1975 on night two of Next Big Thing. 
Jenna Lee, lead singer of Shaed, during the band’s afternoon set on day two of Next Big Thing. 
Jefferey Jordan, lead singer of The Band Camino, stares into the lens of Photo Editor Thomas Iacobucci during their afternoon set on day two of Next Big Thing. 
Spencer Stewart, right, and Graham Rowell, guitarist and bassist of The Band Camino perform during day two of NBT.
