DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE - BRIGHTON, UK.
Death Cab For Cutie at the Dome, Brighton, UK. (27/03/2023).
with support from Slow Pulp.
Images by: Georgia Penny.
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE
SLOW PULP
My first impression of Chicago based support Slow Pulp as they launched into their first song, ‘Idaho’, is that they wouldn’t have seemed out of place on the stage of The Bronze in an episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – there’s definitely a late 90s college indie rock vibe to their music. Their music moves seamlessly from feeling nostalgic and mournful to reminding me of dancing in kitchens at DIY house shows past. If you like Soccer Mommy or Phoebe Bridgers, this is a band you should definitely check out. Their set was only eight songs long and was compiled of earlier singles as well as tracks from their first album, ‘Moveys’, released in 2020. As their set finished, I made a mental note to listen to the rest of their music; eight songs didn’t feel like enough. Other highlights of the set were ‘At It Again’, ‘Track’ and ‘Montana’.
It’s hard to believe that Death Cab for Cutie have been a band for twenty-six years, and even harder to believe that in all those years, this is the first time they’ve made it to Brighton, packing out The Dome. Their set started out strong with the first two songs from their most recent album, ‘Asphalt Meadows’, back-to-back. Both ‘I Don’t Know How I Survive’ and ‘Roman Candles’ feel reminiscent of being locked indoors for months on end during the pandemic and hearing them live feels joyous and cathartic. By the time the band launches into ‘New Year’ followed by ‘Cath’, the crowd is hooked and the excitement in the air is tangible.
But for a few jokey references about a sponsorship from Boots Pharmacy, you’d never be able to tell that the last few shows had been cancelled due to sickness; the band are energetic, and the audience is totally engaged; this is the kind of show without rowdiness but with an electric energy in the air. When Ben notes that for many, this is their first time seeing DCFC and invites them to sing along to the song they’ve all been waiting for, ‘I’ll Follow You Into The Dark’, the crowd enthusiastically obliges. Overall, the band play six songs from the new album and the rest of the setlist is peppered with classics like ‘Black Sun’, ‘I Will Possess Your Heart’ and ‘The Sound of Settling’.
Something striking about this show is the lack of phones in the air; perhaps because of the slightly older age demographic, it seems that the trend of filming the entire set has not infiltrated this concert – everyone is concentrating solely on the music and the experience in that moment, and it’s somewhat refreshing to not be distracted by a sea of phone screens whilst watching a band.
The encore ended with ‘Soul Meets Body’, straight into ‘Transatlanticism’, perfectly encapsulating the entire gig; heart-warming, emotional, ethereal, exciting and somehow simultaneously soul-destroying and soul-recharging. They may have been going for twenty six years but Death Cab For Cutie are still an utterly phenomenal band, something that both this gig and their new album are a testament to.
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