I've been waiting for years to see DCFC live and I finally got my chance last night. While the venue (Verizon Amphitheater) was not ideal (I feel Death Cab warrants a more intimate venue like the Tabernacle), I was excited nonetheless.
Frightened Rabbit, an Indie band from Scotland, opened up for the band and will be with Death Cab for the first half of their "Codes and Keys" tour. Scott Hutchison used his childhood nickname for his solo career, and decided to keep it when members were added. Unfortunately, I only caught the last song for the band, but heard enough to know I wanted more. They finished their set with a passionate anguish for "The Lonliness and The Scream," at title that reminds me of Edvard's Munch's "The Scream."
Scott did a cover of DCFC's "Different Names for The Same Thing" (not played last night) in thanks for support of his Invisible Children charity. Check it out here: http://www.spin.com/articles/exclusive-frightened-rabbit-cover-death-cab
The night was breezy and perfect, and since there was no lawn dancing to go with the mellow vibe or even much standing even in the seats, the perspiration stayed away. Death Cab started with their longest intro song of (one of my favs)"I Will Possess Your Heart." Even though the tour was for promoting their new album, the band offered a hefty setlist of songs from various albums. I wish they would have replaced "The New Year" with "Summer Skin" to go with the open venue theme or "Passenger Seats," a slow, lazy melody. Ben Gibbard pulled out the double microphones to offer his famous echoing voice to the new hit, "You Are A Tourist." One of the band's most endearing songs, which even had a cameo in Friends With Benefits, "Follow You Into The Dark" swept through the crowd with Gibbard's voice and acoustics only setting the stage. Gibbard showed his multiple talents by constantly moving to different parts of the stage depending on the instrument he was playing, even playing on a double drum set connecting with Jason McGerr's own set for "We Looked Like Giants." They played their hearts out, and while we just thought they were done before encore, the band pulls out "Marching Bands of Manhattan." During a pause of songs, the crowd began singing "Happy Birthday" to Mr. Gibbard, and his touchfelt reply "I would love nothing more than to play for YOU on my birthday," made the crowd feel they were right where they needed to be.Some thought perhaps his actresss and singer wife, Zoey Deschanel might come sing a duet for a birthday surprise. However, the bands encore of 4 songs instead, three which are from Transatlanticism (their best album), was just as good. I was unprepared for Gibbard's erratic performance, considering the chillness of a lot of his songs and the mood of the crowd, but he put his all into each one. Even though Death Cab says their lyrics are straightforward, and perhaps they are, the lyrics are why they took over the music circuit. The creativity they are able to put out time and time again blows my mind. I can always go to their songs for outlooks on every day life and love to match my mood. I look forward to their next stop in Atlanta, but I hope it will be in the winter, so I can see a true Death Cab experience indoors with better sound control.
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