My girlfriend is Interpol‘s biggest fan. In the morning, I get ‘Antics’. In the afternoon, ‘Our Love To Admire’. In the evening ‘No I In Threesome’. It’s a good day which doesn’t involve the ‘Heinliech Manouevre’.
Today they come on at 7pm and something isn’t right. Why is the sun still shining? Why is the PA operating on half volume? And why is Carlos D dressed as an undertaker?
Fact fans, take note: they play ‘Pioneer To The Falls’ to start. Sunburnt Maximo Park fans look on, baffled. Where’s the crazy dancing? And why are these bespoke post-punkers not not breaking up drug rings in Marseille with Popeye Doyle?
We get ‘PDA‘, ‘Narc‘ and loads of other stuff off the new album which everyone seems to think is great. It’s smart, savvy and… very quiet.
‘Turn it up! ‘ bellow girls in white sunglasses while fellow obsessives text my girlfriend to tell her it sounds great on the BBC3. Is that what counts? Who knows, but these curiously bespoke Manhattanites conjure up some sort of spell, despite the lack of decibels. But then, I have to say that, don’t I?
‘Who’s on trial?’ groans Paul Banks in ‘Evil’. Well exactly. Good gig, just could have been louder.
Words: Paul Moody
Pic credit: Jo McCaughey