Death Cab for Cutie

I don't want to so much "review" the Death Cab for Cutie concert I went to on Wednesday night, but more give a wrap-up on my observations and feelings before, during and after the show.  First off, it's pretty well documented that I'm not really a fan of Death Cab, especially going into the show, but afterwards, I'm a bit more of a fan.  My expectations going in were that it was going to be pretty laid-back because Death Cab's music comes across to me as being mellow and chill.  Death Cab is more of a lyric-based type music, I feel, and the instrumentation is not that important to the fans of the band.  This is where I have my problems with the band, because I don't listen to lyrics unless I specifically go look the lyrics up while listening to a song, generally.  If you don't listen to Death Cab for the lyrics, like me, the songs are kind of boring.  Sometimes that's not the case with some bands, and the lyrics do shine on top of the songs, but most of the time I'm just not listening to what the artist is saying. I listen to the vocal melody and the music and the rhythm and the drums and stuff like that.  Basically, I hum and mumble along with most songs.  I assumed that Ben Gibbard, (vocals, guitar, piano) was going to be very reserved and not have very much stage presence, and I was very wrong.  The dude is a rock star, and he knows how to work a crowd, for sure.  Before the show, I honestly wondered what pillow I should have taken to the show, to be more comfortable during my mid-set nap I was probably going to be taking, but to my surprise, the show was pretty energetic for a mellow, songwriting band.

Now, part of my problem with the show was that I don't know many songs by the band, as I'm not that big of a fan.  That didn't matter, though, as they sounded great, whether I knew the songs or not.

Let's talk about during the show.  The venue in which this concert took place is the Bridgestone Arena.  The place had a lot of people in it, most of them being on the floor area.  Every concert I've ever been too, I've been on the floor and this was my first experience sitting in the stands.  (kind of an oxymoron, no?  Sitting in the stands?)  So I was able to have a good view of the crowd down below me.  What surprised me was the lack of movement and general enthusiasm out of the people on the floor.  They just stood there, staring at the band(s).  What the hell?  Every show I've been to, like I said, I was standing on the floor and the people moved and gyrated and danced and sang and pointed and participated.  Not this crowd.  THEY JUST STOOD THERE.  It was very awkward.  The band had absolutely nothing to feed of off.

There was a baby in the stands just down the row from us.  Didn't expect that.

There were a few old people at the show, and I want to do a separate piece on old people in a bit, but we thought of a funny quandary about being old and staying hip.

Overall, I loved the show, and the songs they wrote are WAY better live than I expected.  It was a huge-sounding show.  Just over the top.  I loved it, I really did.  I am a bigger fan now than I was going in, because the band shattered so many expectations I had for them afterwards.  I think I just like music that the crowd actually reacts to physically.  That's all I'm saying.

Isn't Death Cab for Cutie the absolute worst band name of all time?  I have the facts, and I'm voting yes.