Interpol @ First Avenue 8.14.10

Despite some jarring lineup changes and touring with a handful of new musicians, there were no signs of cold feet, nor was a learning curve present on stage at First Avenue on Saturday night as Interpol played to a healthy-sized, yet not sold out crowd.

The by the numbers band played a dark, fast-paced, by the numbers show, lead singer Paul Banks rarely speaking between songs.  Instead, the evening was focused on showcasing a number of tracks from the band’s forthcoming self-titled LP, due September 7^th.  And while at times the show felt like someone had just put Interpol’s library on shuffle over the sound system, the aggressive pace of the evening, matched with equally aggressive yet beautiful guitar riffs, kept the energy flowing.

While the set list was heavy on songs from the new album, including single “Lights” and show opener “Success,” Banks and company reached back to their debut and what most would consider best album Turn On the Bright Lights for a majority of the evening.  Crowd favorites like “Lief Erickson” blended in perfectly with the band’s new material, and Banks’ refined vocals breathed new life into classics like closing song “Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down,” sounding way more heartfelt and far less droning.

Other highlights included a particularly stunning rendition of the band’s hit “Evil” from Antics. Wisely, the only song played off of the poorly received Our Love to Admire was “Rest My Chemistry,” sounding excellent in live form and recorded for your listening pleasure below.

While most of Interpol’s catalogue has a moody, somber vibe to it, the new material played on Saturday combines this with grooving beats, more inventive and soaring riffs that still sound 100% like Interpol, and a fine-tuned craftsmanship that provide another reason why people still shouldn’t forget that these guys exist.  The show may have seemed a little too by the numbers, but maybe that’s just because these guys are experts.

Rest My Chemistry Live @ First Avenue