August 12, 2006
Death Cab at The Greek
Nick and I went to the Death Cab for Cutie show in Berkeley and it was a fantastic show as expected. Unfortunately, we got there a little late and missed Mates of State. By the time we got into venue, Spoon had just started playing. I enjoyed their set, especially given the fact that I wasn't all that familiar with their stuff (which is something I definitely need to remedy).
Death Cab put on a great set, which favored songs from Transatlanticism and Plans as well some of their standard older "hits" (We Laugh Indoors, Photobooth, Movie Script Ending). Making the night even more special was the fact that it was Ben Gibbard's 30th birthday. Towards the later half of the set, Chris Walla told the crowd that 9 years ago today, they had taken a road trip to San Francisco for Ben's 21st birthday and they had just recorded You Can Play These Songs With Chords. And that they never thought they'd still be doing this 9 years late.
Highlights of the set for me included Title and Registration, What Sarah Said (even though the crowd cheering after Ben sang the line "Love is watching someone die" was lame), the long instrumental breakdown in the middle of We Looked Like Giants, featuring Ben on his own drum set, and closing with Transatlanticism. This was my third time seeing Death Cab, and they have never disappointed. They're definitely a band I want to catch every time they're in the area.
Set List
- Passenger Seat
- Different Names For The Same Thing
- The New Year
- We Laugh Indoors
- Title and Registration
- Crooked Teeth
- Company Calls
- Company Calls Epilogue
- Soul Meets Body
- What Sarah Said
- Your Heart Is An Empty Room
- A Movie Script Ending
- The Sound Of Settling
- Photobooth
- Expo '86
- We Looked Like Giants
- Transatlanticism
Encore
- I Will Follow You Into The Dark (solo acoustic by Ben)
- I'm Coming Home (Sonics cover)
- Marching Bands of Manhattan