Soul Meets Body

concert review: Death Cab For Cutie w/ Youth Group @ Kool Haus(Toronto, Ontario), October 15, 2005

Given my apprehensions about the cavernous Kool Haus as a live music venue, I was extremely surprised that Death Cab For Cutie pulled off a great show. Maybe I shouldn't be TOO surprised since another indie darling-meets-The O.C. band, The Shins pulled off the same feat earlier this year. In both cases, it had nothing to do with stage theatrics or visual effects. It just came down to a great setlist.

Before the show, there was a horrendous 'lineup' at the merch table and I ended up missing three songs of Australian band Youth Group's set. DCFC's Chris Walla enthusiastically endorses the band but I'm not quite convinced. They were not quite what I expected from an Epitaph-signed band. They performed a perfectly competent set of pop-rock songs that echoed 90's Brit-rock bands like James. In particular, Youth Group vocalist Toby Martin's vocals sounded to me like a slightly less affected Tim Booth. I'd listen to Youth Group any day over the dozens of other crappy(mostly older roster) Epitaph bands. For now, I'll pass.

This was actually the second time seeing Death Cab For Cutie live. I first time I saw them live was when I was fortunate enough to go to the Coachella festival in 2003 where I was able to catch DCFC's set. Aside from the mainstage acts that year, DCFC's sidestage performance was one of my festival highlights. The most surprising aspect is the transition DCFC's made from the Coachella sidestage to playing cavernous venues like Kool Haus. I think there's been too much fuss made about Death Cab For Cutie selling out(signing to a major label, appearing on "The O.C.") but when they can still write an outstanding song like "I Will Follow You Into The Dark", the whole notion of 'selling out' becomes totally moot to me. Their setlist, not surprisingly, was comprised of material mostly from the new album "Plans" and their previous breakthrough, "Transatlanticism", with a few odds and ends from earlier efforts.

Main setlist included(not in exact order):
-> Marching Bands of Manhattan, The New Year, Title and Registration, Soul Meets Body, Summer Skin, A Movie Script Ending, Crooked Teeth, We Looked Like Giants, The Sound of Settling

Encore(in the order performed):
-> I Will Follow You Into The Dark, Tiny Vessels, Transalanticism

With such a no frills performance, there's not much more to comment on. There was a high sing-along quotient, in particular on songs like "Soul Meets Body", and "Title and Registration". DCFC could be forgiven for the unusually long wait for an encore when they delivered a sublime three song encore which started off with Ben Gibbard's serene solo performance of "I Will Follow You Into The Dark", continued with the emotional "Tiny Vessels" and ended with the stark beauty of "Transatlanticism". It's not easy to transcend the enormity of the Kool Haus, but Death Cab For Cutie did so beautifully.

Here's a few photos.
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Can't get enough of the Death Cab? Music For Kids Who Can't Read Good has some videos he took at a recent Death Cab show.

The Boston Globe talks with Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard who maintains that the band hasn't lost its indie credibility.

I read recently in eye that The Dears' Natalia and Murray's daughter Neptune Rosita la Yanchack Lightburn was born in the early hours on September 30th. Congratulations! While it's expected they won't be touring anytime soon, Yahoo! Music are currently featuring The Dears as part of their Who's Next column with an exclusive interview with Murray Lightburn as well as Murray performing a solo acoustic rendition of "Lost In The Plot". For a more permanent link to these exclusives go here.