Death Cab For Cutie
Eventim Apollo // London, England // 1st February, 2019
Photos and review by Rachael Dowd
Following the success of their 2018 released album, Thank You For Today, Seattle-based band Death Cab For Cutie returned to the UK after a few years to a sold out Eventim Apollo in West London.
With a discography that spans over twenty years, there is always some unpredictability to Death Cab For Cutie’s set, fans always unsure of what songs they are going to pull from their two decades worth of discography and play. While they incorporated songs off of Thank You For Today, attendees of their London show this weekend were treated to fan favourite songs off of 2003’s Transatlanticism, 2005’s Plans, 2008’s Narrow Stairs and more.
Death Cab opened up the night with the first two opening songs from Thank You For Today, “I Dreamt We Spoke Again” and “Summer Years,” setting the tone for the night with dim and atmospheric lighting.
Playing a hefty set of 24 songs that included a 4-song encore, Death Cab’s most well-known songs including “Crooked Teeth,” “Title and Registration” and “Soul Meets Body” offered large responses from the somber crowd, their voices echoing along with the distinct and melodic vocals of vocalist and guitarist Ben Gibbard.
“I Will Possess Your Heart,” though a song that spans over eight minutes long, is always a moment in Death Cab’s set to look forward to. As not only a song that is widely known throughout the Death Cab For Cutie fanbase, it is a song that greatly showcases the musicianship each member of the band have to offer. Opening up with a strong and distinct guitar riff, the song builds up for over four minutes, Gibbard leading the way on the piano. It is not only incredibly written, with a chorus of lyrics bound to get stuck in your head, but the composition and execution of it greatly encompass the spirit of Death Cab, a band who has gifted the indie music world with both well-crafted and well-written songs since the late 90s.
The 4-song encore offered some of the most memorable moments of the night, the crowd breaking out into cheers as the opening guitar chords for “I’ll Follow You Into The Dark” rang through the speakers. Opening with an anecdote about how he hates it when he goes to gigs and the singer asks the audience to sing even though the audience paid to hear the singer sing, Gibbard asked the audience to sing the chorus of “I’ll Follow You Into The Dark,” their voices bouncing off of the walls and creating a harmonious moment in the set between both the band and the fans that have stuck with them over the years.
“Tiny Vessels,” though a song often overlooked in the band’s incredible discography, offered a raw and vulnerable moment in the night. With Gibbard singing the lyrics about realising you don’t love the person you are with, the room was near silent during the four-minute song, everyone taking in the emotions and raw performance that were being poured out onstage.
Transiting seamlessly into “Transatlanticism” perhaps one of the most heavily loved Death Cab For Cutie songs, the Seattle band closed out their set on a high and proved once again why they are still a force to be reckoned with in indie music.
While most bands have come and gone, Death Cab For Cutie has managed to stay as one of the biggest names in indie music in the twenty years they have been together, the age range of attendees in London this weekend showing that the band’s music continues to carry on from generation to generation. Whether you are just now becoming a fan or have been there with them since Something About Airplanes, both the musicianship and passion Death Cab shows onstage each night is something quite remarkable.
As a band with a repertoire of songs that still mean so much to people after so many years, fans going to see them aren’t just going to see a band perform onstage, they are going to see their favourite songs, and the memories attached with them, come to life once more.
