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Death Cab For Cutie, Hammersmith Apollo, London

Live Reviews

Sounding entirely majestic, the band are as wonderful as you'd expect.

16th November 2011, Hammersmith Apollo / By Sarah Jamieson
Death Cab For Cutie, Hammersmith Apollo, London

Death Cab For Cutie, Hammersmith Apollo, London, by Emma Swann

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There's something almost humbling about being sat in the circle of Hammersmith Apollo, looking down upon the hordes of people crammed below. It also, however, makes it almost impossible to imagine what could possibly be running through the minds of anyone set to step out onto the expanses of its stage. Tonight however, those thoughts belong to Death Cab For Cutie.

As the lights go down, the excitement in the air heightens and when front man Ben Gibbard takes centre stage, you can almost feel the gratification radiating from the audience. Bursting into 'Bend To Squares', before 'Crooked Teeth', there are roars of happiness from the crowd with each new intro.

Sounding entirely majestic, the band are as wonderful as you'd expect. Rotating themselves continuously around a rectangular set-up, drummer Jason McGerr sits in the top left of the stage, whilst Gibbard leaps around, switching his guitar for the keyboard sat in the top right. As he sits down and begins to tinkle on the keys, the inclusion of 'What Sarah Said' in the set is incredible, to say the least.

Bathed in a different set of coloured lights for each song throughout, they frame the band perfectly, adding a larger dynamic to something that would otherwise be classed as a fairly straight forward stage show.

Alongside this, Gibbard himself stands as a completely enigmatic frontman. Whether it's because of his sometimes jerky stage moves, or simply his sultry vocals, it's hard to pry your eyes away from him as he leads his band through a set filled with tracks from their entire back catalogue.

Cries of happiness resound around the Apollo whenever something remotely old is played, with songs like 'I Will Possess Your Heart' and 'Soul Meets Body' receiving some of the best reactions. But it's moments like the extended outro of 'We Looked Like Giants', which sees Gibbard take to a second drum kit, that make tonight such a special show.

Leaving the stage after 'Marching Bands of Manhattan' is a move we all expect, but what we aren't banking on is the band's six song encore; led beautifully by an acoustic rendition of 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark' which has the whole room united in song.

Continuing on and cumulating with the anthemic 'Transatlanticism', Death Cab For Cutie have led us through one of the most simplistic yet captivating performances; a true testament to how great a band they really are. Rating: 9/10
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