By Rob Goald
rsgoald@comcast.net
 

 INTERPOL
The Joint at The Hard Rock Hotel
Monday October 22

Opening the concert last Monday night for headliners Interpol was a band called Liars. Also part of the New York night crawling, post millennium music revival, Liars presented a set that was cacophonous and incoherent. Front man Angus Andrew lurched around stage in a manner that offended most of the audience with its pretentiousness and percussive discourse.

Liars
Photo by Joe Dillworth

It was a breath of smog laden air that New York City’s Interpol provided as they hit the stage with what turned out to be a competent and tight 90 minute set. Decked out in fashionable Dolce & Gabbana suits the band’s hypnotic, melancholy sound is immensely catchy and captures the imagination.

Interpol is very good at writing melodies and lyrically their songs resonated with many in the audience. The band played tunes from its latest album (with spectacular cover art) “Our Love to Admire”; “Antics” and their debut, critically acclaimed first record entitled “Turn on the Bright Lights”.

Interpol

Interpol commanded stage presence and had a well defined sense of self. Lead singer Paul Banks, late 20’s, has a deep and resplendent voice in the vein of REM leader singer Michael Stipe and mused about various depressed ladies in his life over reverb drenched guitar drones from Daniel Kessler. Carlos Dengler provided the solid bass lines, and, appeared in his neo-Nazi garb sporting a jet black hairdo, while drummer Sam Fogarino inconspicuously provided a solid rhythmic foundation on drums and percussion.

The set included “PDA”, “Roland”, and the intriguingly titled “Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down”. Some songs hit right away, like the manic “Mammoth”, and the icy ballad called “Scale”, where Banks barks, “I made you and now I take you back”. Banks also relates in “Threesome” which is a sincere love song (“Babe, it’s time we gave something a new try”. Also included was a rare, infrequently performed gem titled “Specialist”.

Interpol is a leader of the New York rock renaissance which includes bands like the Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Often compared to Joy Division, New Order or even Echo and the Bunnyman the band owes a lot of its persona to the post punk revival of the 2000’s.and the influence of David Bowie.

Paul Banks brilliant and engaging poetry comes with a cool and detached attitude that is reinforced by glittery Goth guitars and an animal nitrate rhythm section creating a doom and gloom ambience that is perfect for our terror infused world.

The Joint provided the perfect backdrop for what turned out to be a memorable and poignant performance.