New York post-punk outfit Interpol rocked the Verizon Wireless Theater on Tuesday night with their blend of precision instrumentation combined with an entertaining light show. Along with opening act Liars, the band proved to be captivating without stirring the crowd into frenzy.
Interpol, touring in support of their new album, Our Love to Admire, played many songs off the new record set among the more familiar sounds of their previous albums. Guided by the skillful rhythm section of bassist Carlos D. and drummer Sam Fogarino, the band built momentum throughout the show by increasing tempo on a song-to-song basis, causing the congregation of fans to sway steadily with the beat.
Dressed in their customary black and red, none of the band’s stage time was wasted frolicking around to amuse the crowd. In fact, little movement was seen from lead man Paul Banks save for the usual equipment change between songs. If not for the spastic dancing of guitarist Daniel Kessler, the band may have seemed petrified.
While the lack of movement may have led some to think it a weak performance, it called to attention the band’s precise musicianship and the ebb and flow of the songs rather than to their performance.
Sonic guitars flourished from the speakers with a crispness that could only be matched by a studio recording. Heavy bass lines skipped around like the fans that were dancing along with them, and the drawn out monotone vocals were laid over it all like the icing on the cake.
Coming from all angles, the band performed songs such as "No I In Threesome" and "The Heinrich Maneuver," two new post-punk works resembling earlier tunes such as "PDA" and songs like "Pioneer to The Falls" and "Specialist," which accent the band’s likeness to contemporaries such as Belle and Sebastian.
A light show accompanied the band’s performance to heighten the experience. Digital light stands were set up around the band that simulated everything from flowing water and lava to television static and bright walls of blue and red neon. Oversized projections of the new album cover, waves crashing ashore and a large blinking eye were set behind the band as well.
Opening act Liars were an exhibition of true stage presence, to say the least.
Vocalist/bassist/guitarist/showman Angus Andrew absolutely set the joyous mood for what would be their 45-minute set with his wild and carefree antics.
There was not a spot on the stage that Andrew had not covered by the end of the show. He somehow found a way to incorporate every dance move from the running man to the moonwalk in between waltzing with his guitar and rolling around on the stage floor.
In between songs, Andrew had plenty to say to the seemingly shocked crowd. Wearing a white polyester suit circa John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, he sent a message to Houston Rocket’s center Yao Ming, in which he shouted "Yao" at the top of his lungs, a message he presented throughout the show.
Amid the amusing behavior, the band played a vibrant brand of dance-punk that featured a pleasurable percussion duo that seemed to wander off on their own at times into jam-band style rhythms.
To use more of Andrew’s words, the Los Angeles group did a wonderful job of "stalling for Interpol."
