Features | Concerts
Interpol / Liars
By David Greenwald | 5 November 2007
Holy shit, when did Interpol turn into U2? Though the notoriously withdrawn New York mope-rockers uttered barely a word of between-song banter, they held court at the Forum like Magic Johnson during the Showtime years. As befits a band of hardened tour dogs, the performance was as professional and slick as a well-oiled machine, from the flawlessly paced setlist to the precise light show. It’s a rare, strange thing to see a longtime indie favorite play to a basketball stadium; when the band debuted with Turn on the Bright Lights in 2002, it was hard to imagine them ever becoming major label arena rockers, much less excellent ones.
As one of the band’s new songs notes, pace is the trick -- Interpol’s songs, even the less interesting ones, have always been built to be played live, littered with pauses (for applause, of course), shifts in tempo and rock-solid rhythm work. Carlos D and Sam Fogarino (bass and drums, respectively) remain one of rock’s finest combos, giving every song a throbbing energy that the rest of the band cruised over like a vintage Corvette. The set ran from old favorites (“Obstacle 1,” “Slow Hands”) to tracks from this year’s lesser Our Love to Admire. Live, the band’s major weakness was on full display alongside its more obvious strengths: Paul Banks’ recent melodies often sputter out when they should floor the pedal. “No I In Threesome” in particular never reached the brutal climaxes of the older material. It’s hard to compare with the seething stabbing-ourselves-in-the-neck peaks of yore.
In contrast to Interpol’s stark, almost clinical performance, opening band Liars -- probably the most unlikely act to ever play at the Forum -- seemed oddly comfortable under the arena’s towering rafters. Though a smaller, sweatier venue would have made for a more intense performance, the venue’s flair for reverberation made it a sonically impressive ground for the band’s droning art-rock. Gangly frontman Angus Young danced about the stage with all the groove an oversize hipster could muster, but it was the banter -- he dedicated songs to everyone from Interpol to the sound guy -- that showcased the band’s otherwise unknown comedic side.
Still, Interpol owned the night. Perhaps U2 is the wrong comparison -- the band seems to be modeling its career after Depeche Mode’s, an act that’s maintained a consistent output and rabid fanbase since its initial heyday. As long as that rhythm section keeps pounding out jams and the band recognizes its limits -- wisely, the encore was pulled entirely from Turn on the Bright Lights -- they should be playing to the rafters for years to come.
As one of the band’s new songs notes, pace is the trick -- Interpol’s songs, even the less interesting ones, have always been built to be played live, littered with pauses (for applause, of course), shifts in tempo and rock-solid rhythm work. Carlos D and Sam Fogarino (bass and drums, respectively) remain one of rock’s finest combos, giving every song a throbbing energy that the rest of the band cruised over like a vintage Corvette. The set ran from old favorites (“Obstacle 1,” “Slow Hands”) to tracks from this year’s lesser Our Love to Admire. Live, the band’s major weakness was on full display alongside its more obvious strengths: Paul Banks’ recent melodies often sputter out when they should floor the pedal. “No I In Threesome” in particular never reached the brutal climaxes of the older material. It’s hard to compare with the seething stabbing-ourselves-in-the-neck peaks of yore.
In contrast to Interpol’s stark, almost clinical performance, opening band Liars -- probably the most unlikely act to ever play at the Forum -- seemed oddly comfortable under the arena’s towering rafters. Though a smaller, sweatier venue would have made for a more intense performance, the venue’s flair for reverberation made it a sonically impressive ground for the band’s droning art-rock. Gangly frontman Angus Young danced about the stage with all the groove an oversize hipster could muster, but it was the banter -- he dedicated songs to everyone from Interpol to the sound guy -- that showcased the band’s otherwise unknown comedic side.
Still, Interpol owned the night. Perhaps U2 is the wrong comparison -- the band seems to be modeling its career after Depeche Mode’s, an act that’s maintained a consistent output and rabid fanbase since its initial heyday. As long as that rhythm section keeps pounding out jams and the band recognizes its limits -- wisely, the encore was pulled entirely from Turn on the Bright Lights -- they should be playing to the rafters for years to come.