As Death Cab for Cutie fans poured into the show on Friday April 13, 2012, they were minutes away from experiencing a different kind of alt rock show. Dare I say it- a classy show. One that was very fitting for the setting of the historical Louisville Palace Theatre.
The first clue that the show was going to be unique was when the Magik*Magik Orchestra (comprised of 6 violinists and 3 cellists) opened the night. Then, under the guise of thick blue fog, front man, Ben Gibbard, walked onto the stage alone, took a seat at the piano and belted out Passenger Seat.
When DCFC played Codes and Keyes, the title track off their 2011 release, the stage was lit to a warm red glow and the Magik*Magik Orchestra filled the theatre and made the audience wonder if there was any other way to listen to that song. To go back and listen to any DCFC song off a cd is now a major let down. What the Magik*Magik Orchestra added to each song can only be described as pure genius!
After playing 17 songs, the band came out to start the encore and that is when the fans were treated to something very special. Gibbard announced that they would be playing a song that had never been played live before, much less played acoustically. And so began a beautiful rendition of Monday Morning that brought all of the fans to their feet. They closed out the six-song encore with a version of Transatlanticism that had people in tears. It is safe to say, Death Cab for Cutie would be welcome back to Louisville with open arms, especially after Gibbard nailed the local pronunciation of our fair city, Lou-a-vul!
Setlist:
1. Passenger Seat
2. Different Names For The Same Thing
3. A Movie Script Ending
4. Title and Registration
5. Grapevine Fires
6. Codes and Keys
7. No Joy In Mudville
8. Little Fury Bugs
9. Death of an Interior Decorator
10. You Are a Tourist
11. Bend to Squares
12. Hindsight
13. Cath...
14. Army Corps of Architects
15. What Sarah Said
16. Soul Meets Body
17. Stay Young, Go Dancing
Encore:
18. Steadier Footing
19. Monday Morning
20. Your Heart Is an Empty Room
21. I Will Follow You Into The Dark
22. Tiny Vessels
23. Transatlanticism
Photo: Courtesy of Jessica Murr
