Live review: Death Cab for Cutie at the Hollywood Bowl

The Seattle group adapted its indie rock to the expansive Bowl, and the L.A. Philharmonic joined in on some of its songs, but still the performance sounded dull.

In "The New Year," the third song of Death Cab for Cutie's Sunday night concert at the Hollywood Bowl, frontman Ben Gibbard did what he does better than many of his indie-rock peers, sketching a detailed scene of emotional tension with only a handful of lyrics.

"So everybody put your best suit or dress on / let's make believe that we are wealthy for just this once," Gibbard sang, describing a group of twentysomethings coming to terms with the everyday disappointments of post-collegiate life. "Lighting firecrackers off on the front lawn as 30 dialogues bleed into one."

An hour later, as the Los Angeles Philharmonic backed Death Cab during its final tune, "Transatlanticism," Gibbard didn't need words to help us imagine the pyrotechnics.

They were exploding directly over his head.

A Seattle quartet that began releasing albums more than a decade ago, Death Cab has taken an old-fashioned route to mainstream success; for younger bands of the fast-moving MySpace era, its ideas about creative consistency and dogged road work must seem as quaint as the pen and paper inside Dad's briefcase.

"This one's from our first record, which is now 11 years old, and therefore an oldie," Gibbard confessed with a laugh before the group eased into "President of What?," a typically wistful cut from 1998's "Something About Airplanes."

All of that experience has made Death Cab one of the most dependable live acts in indie rock. Performing material from throughout its lengthy songbook -- including one track from its most recent release, this year's "The Open Door" EP -- Gibbard and his bandmates had no trouble Sunday adapting their precise jangle-pop arrangements to suit the Bowl's expansive dimensions.

When the L.A. Phil joined the group for seven tunes, Death Cab's music didn't seem overpowered, even during the folky "I Will Follow You Into the Dark," which Gibbard played solo on acoustic guitar.

Yet for all its literal and lyrical fireworks, Sunday's concert was woefully short on the figurative kind; Death Cab's hard-won competence ensured a solid show but also a somewhat dull one, with little of the fanfare you'd expect from a band making its Hollywood Bowl debut.

Gibbard managed to work up some drama during "I Will Possess Your Heart," the creepy-sensitive single from last year's "Narrow Stairs," which the singer introduced as "a love song about when you love someone and they just don't love you back." The sight of one especially enthusiastic dancer being escorted out by security -- very possibly a first at a Death Cab for Cutie gig -- helped to bolster the sense of occasion. Mostly, though, the band's performance seemed like just another day at the office.

Opening the show with a brief set of catchy, caffeinated power pop, Vancouver's New Pornographers foreshadowed Death Cab's respectfully underwhelmed vibe. "I don't know if you guys know this, but this is a very famous venue," frontman A.C. Newman deadpanned.

Tegan and Sara, the night's second warm-up act, sounded fine playing its jagged folk-pop songs. But the band's frontwomen, lesbian twins from Canada, were much more entertaining in their between-song banter, particularly when they described their mother's first visit to L.A. and their hunch that she might be a closeted lesbian.

Unlike the majority of Sunday's show, the revelation felt one of a kind.

--Mikael Wood

Photos: Death Cab for Cutie with the L.A. Philharmonic, top, and Tegan and Sara, middle. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Adam]

I agree whole-heartedly. There was a distinct lack of energy throughout all of the performances. Death Cab burned through their first set in a rather impersonal and strictly business manner, and the show as it was marketed, Death Cab for Cutie with the LA Philharmonic, was surprisingly short. Also, there was a strange dichotomy between the kids there to see a show and the listless Hollywood Bowl regulars of 40-somethings wanting background music for drinking mid-priced supermarket pinot grigio, further zapping the atmosphere.

[Laocoon]

I completely disagree.

[El Guapo]

It was a Death Cab on par performance. I've been watching this band perform since 2000 and around 2003-4, Gibbard has always expressed or shown his disdain for Los Angeles in general. I think it is very common in all his LA shows at the very least since 2005 where he makes some flip remark and just forces it through his setlist. It's almost palpable. Only this time the only outwardly critical dig at the crowd coming from the drummer who asked the audience if they were Canadian...presumably in response to the crowd not po-going to their sleep-inducing peformance on stage.

[Jack]

Um, it was perfect. That lack of energy you speak of, well I got news for you, it was July 5th, and a sunday, which means everyone went balls to the wall on Saturday, knowing they'd have sunday to recover. So the fact that it was a mellow, Sunday night concert, where the audience was played down and matched the relaxed atmosphere of the band, and that fact that as a reviewer you were unable to factor what was actually occurring around you pretty much means you were ignorant of your surroundings, which means you were pretty much unable to write a review.

[Renee]

Well now I'm relieved I didn't get tickets for this show. All you disappointed DCFC fans should've been at the Belly Up show in Solana Beach the Friday before the show- that was the best I've seen them in years.

[aldo]

A forgettable set by the NP. Tegan and Sarah on the other hand, rocked. DCFC's first set was outstanding. Forget about whether they do or don't like our city. they gave it up good. The problem was the sound on the Phil when they came out. It ruined "I will Follow You". 4 songs later it seemed to gel a bit. An 8 piece string section would have fit much better. Sitting in a terrace box next to industry wankers would have ruined a dull show (I know, I was next to one), but I found myself blissfully unaware of them.

[H]

Jack- have you ever seen DCFC play besides the Hollywood Bowl? I know they have put so much heart and energy in past shows. The fact that it was the day after July 4th is no excuse. You should really check them out again and see what they really can bring to the stage because this was NOTHING compared to past shows. I was very disappointed.

[tina koh]

I couldn't agree more with the reviewer. Really! It's like he wrote what was in my head. Death Cab were Okay. That is it. They were simply okay and all these people who are oohhing and aahhing have never seen a Decent show, then, because the show was simply fair at best. It wasn't a bomb, but it was quite dull. And just because they blow fireworks at the end does not mean it is a good rendition of a song. The fireworks were shiny and nice, the show was a little boring. I felt ripped off.

[Ezra]

The most boring concert I have ever seen. What was up with this group that night I have no idea--but it wasn't till the last song that they stepped up to the plate and had some energy and
excitement. Also--people around me were yelling for the LA Philharmonic to come out. It wasn't towards the end and by then--the concert was D.O.A.