Death Cab for Cutie

Esplanade Concert Hall

Tuesday

All hail Death Cab.

From the first notes of majestic opener Bixby Canyon Bridge off the band’s latest album Narrow Stairs (2008), the packed hall of more than 1,500 fans were on their feet.

These lucky devotees, who had snapped up tickets to the show within a day of sales opening, stayed on their feet and rewarded the band with noisy affection.

On the song, lead singer Ben Gibbard’s plaintive, aching tenor searched in vain for some deeper truth.For the audience though, the 100- minute set was a revelation.

After the mid-tempo build-up, the foursome tore through the next few numbers with a fierce intensity.

It was as bassist Nick Harmer had told Life! in an earlier interview: “Our live shows are more high-energy than our albums would suggest.”

The band, which also includes guitarist Chris Walla and drummer Jason McGerr, infused the show with a sense of urgency and purpose, and simply let the songs speak for themselves.

They dug deep into their catalogue, performing Your Bruise from their first album Something About Airplanes (1998), and the summery Photobooth from the Forbidden Love EP (2000).

Cheers and whoops greeted the beginning of almost every song, with tracks from Narrow Stairs and the critically beloved Transatlanticism (2003) making up half the set.

The lengthy eight-minute-plus I Will Possess Your Heart raised eyebrows when it was released as the first single off Stairs but has since proven to be the right decision as it helped to propel the album to No. 1 in the United States.

When Gibbard sang “You gotta spend some time with me/And I know that you’ll find love/I will possess your heart”, it was a declaration of intent. It was also a statement of fact.

The laconic vocalist tossed out a few thank-you-very-much and how-are-you-doing in-between songs, but the little else he did say hinted at a wryly humorous personality.

“Sorry it took us so long to get here, we got lost along the way,” he deadpanned.

During the encore, he also thanked their non-existent opening band, Dead Air.

The final elegiac number Transatlanticism began with Gibbard singing over a keyboard accompaniment. Then the guitars joined in and as he crooned “I need you so much closer”, white lights flared, the music soared and McGerr flailed away on the drums.

It was over all too soon. Fans left bereft can only hang on to Gibbard’s parting words: “We’ll see you again very soon. We promise.”

(ST)