On Stage: Interpol

A lot has changed since Interpol were one of the new exciting bands in the early 2000s. They have been around for over twenty years and their breakthrough album Antics is almost 15 years old. Oh how time flies, but fortunately Interpol is still around. After struggling for a few years, they came back with a good album El Pintor and this year its maybe even better follow up Marauder. Even better, they are playing a relatively small club for their stature.

Interpol at Tivoli Vredenburg Utrecht, November 27 2018

Of course this show sold out long ago and it's nice to see this band up close again. A lot of new songs from the new album make it on the setlist tonight. You notice that those songs have a lighter touch than the dark older ones. That doesn't mean they are now playing happy disco tunes, but it is a slight change of their sound.

Like always the band doesn't use a huge spectacular light show, but uses lighting in a functional way. A few disco balls are now and then used effectively together with strobe lights, creating a big contrast with the otherwise modest lighting. The band like always is quite static on stage, keeping a distance from the crowd. In their case this actually suits their music and only makes the gloomy atmosphere of the songs more threatening.

The group plays very tight and like their light show, never play too much, but exactly what is needed. The dark guitar sound mixes well with the synths and are backed up by a very groovy rhythm section. Both drums and bass add this little extra funk into the mix, preventing the music from becoming too depressive. This is what I really like about their sound, that groovy combination. And of course the thundering vocals of Paul Banks, who doesn't waste any time talking in between songs. Instead the band simply keeps going in their steady but powerful tempo until finally indestructible fan favourites 'Evil' and 'Obstacle 1' end the show in great style.



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Setlist:
01. Pioneer to the Falls
02. C'mere
03. If You Really Love Nothing
04. Public Pervert
05. Roland
06. Complications
07. Say Hello to the Angels
08. NYC
09. The Rover
10. Rest My Chemistry
11. NYSMAW
12. Stay in Touch
13. All the Rage Back Home
14. The New
15. Flight of Fancy
16. Slow Hands
Encore
17. Lights
18. Evil
19. Obstacle 1