Death Cab For Cutie
9 out of 10 - Simply Amazing. Can't wait to see 'em again.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC
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This August, indie darlings Death Cab For Cutie stepped up to the major leagues, and despite many frets from long time fans, Plans was a strong and likeable follow up to 2003's excellent Transatlanticism. Since then, they have been touring in support of Plans, and they rolled into New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom for a two-night stand. This nights bill included Australian indie-rock band Youth Group, whose sophomore album Skeleton Jar features linear notes from Death Cab’s guitarist/producer Chris Walla. Me and my companions scanned the merch counter, then went into the small crowd. Youth Group played a strong opening set, with singer/guitarist Toby Martin carefully singing into his microphone as if he was afraid of what might happen. To close the set Walla came out on stage to play tambourine on the last song, giving the eager crowd a taste of what was to come.
After a forty-five minute transition, Death Cab took the stage, with the lights dimming and a curtain for the light show dropping down. I turned around to notice that the entire standing room had been filled, and I couldn’t see the exit of the building. The humming organs of “Marching Bands of Manhattan” started the set in a similar fashion to how it starts the album. After the song, Ben Gibbard shyl introduced his band to the crowd, “Hi, we’re Death Cab For Cutie from Seattle, Washington.” As if the entire audience didn’t already know that. The set went back to the bands first LP, and also featured tracks from Plans. Gibbard swayed behind his microphone as the band performed crowd pleasers such as “Title and Registration” and “Photo booth” flawlessly. Gibbard and Walla traded places behind the keyboard, while Jason McGerr and Nicholas Harmer played the rhythm section with precise energy.
The set ended with Transatlanticism favorite, “The Sound of Settling”, but the night wasn’t over yet. Gibbard returned to the stage alone with his acoustic guitar, and the crowd roared, knowing exactly what was coming. Gibbard led the entire audience in a sing along of “I Will Follow You Into the Dark”; the crowd almost drowning his voice out. The entire band returned for a four-song encore that ended the night with the epic “Transatlanticism.” Gibbard started behind the keys, but transferred to guitar half way to the song, to lead the audience in the ecstatic chant of “Come on, Come on.” Youth Group came out, and sang along into Walla’s microphone, and it seamed like the eight minute song lasted for eternity.
The show was almost perfect, despite not playing a favorite of mine “We Looked Like Giants”, and for a few drunk college students who seemed to think that any song was danceable. The audience flooded back onto the cold streets of Manhattan, and me and my companions walked down the streets, singing the praises of the spectacle we had just witnessed.
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