Last week, an all-star trio of bands came together and entertained a sold out venue in the heart of D.C. Ra Ra Riot, Cold War Kids and Death Cab for Cutie took up their instruments at the DAR Constitution Hall and played such an impressive show that it was a wonder so much talent could fit into one building.
Ra Ra Riot led off the night with a set showcasing some of their biggest hits from their LP The Rhumb Line. No stranger to Baltimore, Ra Ra Riot has visited near campus several times in recent years.
They headlined their last show here in December at the Ottobar. It was a hot, sticky event where the only thing better than the music itself was the enthusiasm of Ra Ra Riot's performance. They were no different in D.C.
The New York band performed, as always, with a vivacity and cheeriness that coincides with the sound of their music. Not your typical pop-rock band, Ra Ra Riot combines cello and violin with an alternative-centered sound for songs that have the ability to inspire ridiculous dance moves.
This ability of theirs transfers remarkably to a live performance. Lead singer Wes Miles interacted with both his band members and the crowd. Miles's enthusiasm while on stage created a palpable energy within the crowd. Although this should be a goal for every band, it is most certainly one of the more important ones for an opening band.
The Cold War Kids' performance was a surprisingly good one. Their first album, Robbers & Cowards, grabbed them some time in the spotlight with the hit, "Hang Me Up to Dry."
However, their recently released album Loyalty to Loyalty didn't showcase frontman Nathan Willet's vocals quite so well. However, while on the album Willet sounded like he struggled to project his voice and hit the notes, he expertly belted out the Kids' songs in concert.
When seeing bands whose vocals waver between talking, screaming and a bit of yelling, it is expected that most of the lyrics won't be comprehensible. It takes a previous knowledge of the lyrics to be able to sing along in situations such as that. In any other venue, the music would have strangled the Kids' vocals. The acoustics at the DAR Hall, however, allowed them to play a dynamic show.
The occasional problem of unintelligible vocals was never a problem I anticipated for the more mellow headliner Death Cab for Cutie. They played a wide variety of songs spanning their whole discography, including such hits as "No Sunlight," "The Sound of Settling" and "Soul Meets Body." Frontman Ben Gibbard introduced the majority of the songs and, in a sweet gesture, dedicated two of them to their opening bands.
Gibbard's dabbling in several different music projects has made him somewhat of a hearthrob among the indie scene. Screams of "You're so hot, Ben!" were heard throughout the evening. Professions of admiration are not always standard fare for these occasions, but obviously his fame has preceeded him.
The highlight of the evening was Gibbard's acoustic performance of "I Will Follow You Into the Dark." A silence descended upon the entire hall as he began to strum the opening chords, and by the end of the song, there were more than a few tear-stricken faces in the audience.
Death Cab played a fairly lengthy set that had the majority of the crowd on their feet for its entirety. A pleasant surprise was the inclusion of two songs from their upcoming EP, The Open Door, one of which was played at the encore. Their set was a satisfying representation of their songs and ended on the lingering notes of "Transatlanticism."
Although the concert began at 7 p.m. and ended long before midnight, it was nonetheless a successful show. One need not be crammed between sweaty, gyrating bodies for a pleasant concert-going experience. Ra Ra Riot, Cold War Kids and Death Cab proved that even in a venue with fabric-covered seats, they still know how to rock.
