By JAYA GUPTA Special to the Daily Press
Thousands were brought to their feet last week at the Greek Theatre by the four chic New Yorkers who comprise the alternative band Interpol. Amidst a backdrop of fir trees, concentrated violet lasers and the haze of a smoke machine, band members dressed in formal business attire took to the stage and sonical-ly summoned the audience to their feet.
Despite weather forecasts calling for rain, the audience’s spirits couldn’t be doused. Still, many in attendance at the sold-out concert — located on the side of a canyon in Griffith Park — lugged in their unwieldy rain gear with one hand, dampened cigarettes in the other.
The ethereal experimental-rock of Cincinnati-based Boom Bip started off the chilly night. Citing the likes of Sonic Youth, Jimi Hendrix and Mogwai as influences, it seemed fitting that Boom Bip’s repertoire consisted mostly of lengthy, lyric-less, guitar-driven compositions.
Each song was filled to capacity with raunchy guitars and weaving bass lines atop soothing harmonies provided by keyboards and a backup guitar. Though most people probably hadn’t heard of Boom Bip before the show, they seemed to enjoy the auditory ambiance the band provided.
When Interpol took to the stage, they kicked off their roughly two-hour set with “Next Exit,” the opening track off their year-old sophomore release “Antics.” Even as they followed it up with “Slow Hands,” an alternative take on a fast dance rhythm, the band seemed a little lethargic at first. With the exception of guitarist Daniel Kessler, who has the footwork of a ballroom dancer and was prancing across the stage, and drummer Sam Fogarino — pounding away emphatically — the rest of Interpol seemed to be lacking stage kinetic. As they eased into their set, playing many of the songs off “Antics” before digging into the recent past and breaking out the “Bright Lights” hits, the rising energy levels were clearly palpable.
Although the vocals of guitarist Paul Banks were a little bit off, the band played the rest of their set with anxious enthusiasm.
The majority of Interpol’s songs document exquisite heartache, mechanical isolation or other abstract concepts. Most in the audience appeared to be fervent Interpol listeners by the way they sang along. The audience was brought to their feet by the forcefulness with which they played and the symbiosis each member had with his instrument. Hearing them live is an entirely different experience.
Interpol feigned the concert’s ending twice, waving good-bye, leaving for a few minutes and returning each time to the collective summons of “Encore! Encore!” and copious applause. They ended their set with “The Specialist” and graciously exited the stage for good.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 30, 2005. Read the original PDF.