(insert title here) - Volume 2 Issue 1 - Concert: Death Cab for Cutie & The Prom by John Penner

If a band plays all their songs live in the exact manner that theyâve recorded them, then why not just listen to the band in the comfort of your home? Well, because as Death Cab for Cutie and The Prom showed at Hamilton College on October 25th, listening to the best bands live is nothing like listening to their recorded material.

Fellow Barsuk label mates The Prom played a brief opening set for Death Cab for Cutie. Utilizing the rather unique musical set-up of keyboard/piano, bass, and drum, The Prom succeeded in playing music that sounded pleasantly poppy, but with an added bite thanks to the keyboards. Great music aside, what really made The Promâs set memorable can be summarized in one word: ãPromedy.ä Constant joking between the band, crowd, and some offstage members of Death Cab for Cutie helped The Prom not only create the aforementioned terrible (in a good way) pun, but also a warm atmosphere that helped block out any outside distractions to simply enjoying the music.

This pleasant atmosphere only became stronger when Death Cab for Cutie took the stage. Due to technical difficulties Ben Gibbardâs (Death Cab for Cutieâs lead singer) mike died while performing a rendition of Company Calls. Instead of reacting with annoyance, the audience responded by singing along with a mic-less Gibbard, quite well I must add. What could have been a distracting equipment problem into one of those special musical moments that, while seeming cheesy to those not present, made you feel all warm and fuzzy.

Of course, it would be sort of a pointless experience if the members of Death Cab for Cutie only created a great atmosphere for listening to music without themselves producing great music. Thankfully, Death Cab for Cutie went so far as to play even better live than they do on their already excellent recordings. Gibbardâs voice proved every bit as sweetly melancholy live, but with more intensity. The guitars, still cutting through each song while keeping a melody, were more playful live as each guitarist seemed to feel free to make minor improvisations. Both these qualities came together perfectly on Scientist Studies. Death Cab for Cutie elongated the song past its original climax so that instead of having the song build from quiet to loud, it instead went from quiet, to loud, to white noise. As Gibbard sung (I want to say screamed because of his intensity, but his voice never cracked) out ãThis is my last defenseä to end the song, I found it hard to believe that Death Cab could have made something so noisy sound so beautiful.

I worry that I have sounded a bit too generic when describing why The Prom and Death Cab for Cutie put on such a great live show. Passion, improvisation, and crowd interaction are nothing new to live music. Yet for all their familiarity, when a show manages to pull all three off, such as the Death Cab for Cutie and The Prom show I attended, it reminds you of what a great experience it can be to hear music live.

Concert Review: Death Cab for Cutie & The Prom

Hamilton College 11.25.01

by John Penner