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September 17,2004
RedFest
The University of Utah may not know how to issue a diploma, but they make
up for it by throwing a great concert. Death Cab for Cutie was booked as
the headliner for this year's free RedFest event. The performance was
impressive from the opening number "The New Year" through the encore
closer, "Transatlanticism."
The band's strength lies in its subtle showmanship and its ability to
recreate the intricacies of its studio recordings in a live setting.
Death Cab had a myriad of different instruments on the stage. Singer Ben
Gibbard played not only his guitar, but a pair of electronic drums on
"Title and Registration." When he wasn't using the drumstick to keep
rhythm, he was strumming his guitar with it. Chris Walla alternated
between playing guitar and keyboard and even switched bassist Nick Harmer
instruments mid-song. Harmer also added some sampler work on one song.
New drummer Jason McGerr was absolutely rock steady, sounding more like a
drum machine than a human at times.
The majority of the setlist came from their latest, and best album,
Transatlanticism. The crowd was treated to "Tiny Vessels," an extended
version of "We Looked Like Giants" and even got to "bah bah" along to "The
Sound of Settling."
The highlight of the evening was the encore. Gibbard sat behind the
keyboard pouring out his heart on "Transatlanticism." By the third verse
he had the entire crowd backing him up, singing "Come on, Come on" into
the autumn air. After the last note faded and the band exited, the crowd
stood in the dark and exhaled collectively, having all been temporarily
lost in a wonderful moment.
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