The following is an expansion on a series of tweets from yesterday that cover six lessons I learned at a Death Cab for Cutie concert on Friday night.
1) No one’s bothered to buy or listen to their new album.
It’s generally not a good sign when a band feels the need to ask permission to play a song off of their new album, and probably an even worse sign when most of the people in the floor section aren’t able to sing along. Maybe it’s a function of their personality (see #3), but asking if it was ok to play some songs from their new album only underscored the fact that many fans, admittedly myself included, came because Death Cab used to be their favourite band.
2) Death Cab is really better suited for smaller venues than the Molson Amphitheatre - they don’t have the stage presence for large crowds.
They’ve always been a bit of a hipster-emo band, so perhaps it isn’t exactly surprising that Death Cab couldn’t seem to bring the energy needed to fill the Molson Amphitheatre’s environment and get everyone on their feet. There were a number of songs that turned into giant sing-alongs, mind you, but their music definitely seems better suited to a more intimate venue and they never really seemed comfortable. Humility is a great character trait to have, but it plays poorly on stage.
3) The awkward nerd vibe they give off is not an act; their on-stage ‘banter’ is really awkward to listen to.
I mentioned earlier how they almost seemed embarrassed to play their new music, and given how long they’ve been around (>10 years) I’m surprised they haven’t been able to overcome their misguided shyness. By now it should be obvious that the people who come to their concerts bought their tickets on purpose and didn’t accidentally stumble across them while trolling a Seattle coffeehouses for a new favourite premium blend, but judging by the conversations they had on stage (about the weather, their tour schedule, etc.) this hasn’t sunk in yet. Which is a shame: a band whose lyrics tell such great stories should be able to spin a few good yarns.
4) I now know why the hipster lifestyle appeals to so many otherwise normal dudes - SO MUCH SIDEBOOB.
It might just be me, but I remember the days when hipster chicks dressed the way they did to make a statement – usually about how insecure they were and how their personality was waaay more interesting than yours. There was no shyness at this concert, though, which made me question my habitual avoidance of hipster bars. But these questions were quickly put to rest, as it became painfully obvious that deodorant has yet to gain traction with many of my fellow concert-goers.
5) Cuddling is not appropriate in the floor section. And don’t get mad if I bump into you when we’re 4 feet from the front. #itsnotmeitsyou
In fairness, I’ll acknowledge that there were no real opportunities for the floor section to let loose, mosh pit style. But that really doesn’t make it ok to get all gropey in the middle of the mob. People are going to bump into you – it’s nothing personal, and if you can’t deal with that perhaps you should have stuck to the seated sections. (On the other hand, if getting jostled doesn’t bother you, go nuts.)
6) Death Cab’s still got ‘it’.
For all the crap I’ve said about how they were awkward and ill-suited to the venue, Death Cab can still inspire the same emotions at a live show that their music used to make you feel. And that alone makes them still worth the price of admission.
(image source)
