Quiet Color

post and pics by marc evan

Death Cab For Cutie is a band that keeps me honest. Last night at Radio City Music Hall, from the first song to the last, the band told stories of love, heartbreak, and hope. They are a band with a rare ability to make me look deep inside myself. As they played, I reflected on my life, my loves, my successes, mistakes, and failures. Ben Gibbard’s voice sang out each poetic lyric with his quirky yet soothing inflections. The band was tight as ever, building the energy in the room to amazing crescendos and then dropping it all away into whispers.

I WILL FOLLOW YOU INTO THE DARK BY DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE:

Each time i have seen Death Cab it has been a wildy different, albeit spectacular, experience. My first Death Cab concert was a few years back at the MSG Theater, and was colored mostly by the girl i was smooching. My second Death Cab experience was earlier this summer, at the now historic, McCarren Pool. That show was unique in that I was surrounded by my family and friends and a violent storm. At that show we had a blast but noticed Ben Gibbard’s growing frustration as equipment failed on him due to the extreme heat and humidity. During “Sounds of Settling” as the crowd was in a frenzy, the severe thunder storm hit, effectively ending the show early. As we all fled from the rain, wind, and lightning, all hell seemed to break loose. Last night, once again, was completely different. With bellies full of pork, whiskey, and space cake, my buddy DJ Jyan (from Kids With Snakes) and I made our way up to Radio City Music Hall. Walking into this venue just feels epic. I can’t help but think that the Rockettes (for which Radio City is famous) are a waste of the amphitheater’s potential.

The band opened with the song “Employment Pages,” from their album, We Have The Facts and We’re Voting Yes. They then continued by playing many older fan favorites from across their catalog. Halfway through the set the band began to delve into some of the new hits from Narrow Stairs.

After Beautiful renditions of “Grapevine Fires,” “Summer Skin” (which Ben traded his guitar for keys), and “Soul Meets Body,” Ben addressed the audience asking by a show of hands, “who was at the McCarren Park show?” Ben then continued to apologize for having to cut that show early. He went on to explain how they thought they were tough guys who could brave the rain, but when they saw a beer tent begin to levitate and the stage shaking, they knew it was time to go. He then dedicated the following song to all of us who were there that night, playing an amazingly emotive, “I Will Follow You Into The Dark.” Death Cab then segued perfectly into the first single from Narrow Stairs, “I Will Possess Your Heart.” They played out the long, extended intro to many cheers until Ben’s voice eventually broke into the jam lyrically telling a story of stopping at nothing to find true love.

CHAMPAGNE FROM A PAPER CUP BY DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE :

After “Bixby Canyon Bridge,” another great track off the new album, the band left the stage. To no one’s surprise they returned to the stage, starting a 5 song encore set with a rare track called “Technicolor Girls.” This was followed by several of my favorite older songs, including “Title and Registration,” “Movie Script Ending,” and “Marching Bands of Manhattan.”

Death Cab For Cutie is often outspoken about their politics. Every page of their website reminds people to register to vote. Chris Walla, the bands guitarist and producer, often sends out email blasts on social networking sites about political issues of importance. Surprisingly, the show was virtually politics free. The only reminder of the upcoming election was a silent, wordless sticker of the American Flag logo that Barack Obama uses. It quietly and unobtrusively adorned one of Ben’s guitars, most likely going unnoticed by the majority of people in attendance.

With this concert Death Cab For Cutie has proven to me that Radio City can serve as a great rock venue. Ben, Chris, Nick, and Jason, put on one hell of a captivating show, keeping the audience on their feet almost the entire night. It was thankfully a show that needed follow up discussion. Luckily around the corner from Radio City, we found the perfect place. At Johnny Utah’s, while watching girl after girl mount an electronic bull, we discussed our favorite moments of the show, polished off more beer and whiskey, and finally headed downtown to continue our evening in more familiar territory.