Death Cab

I loved you, Guenivere, I loved you Guenivere, I loved you.
I loved you, Guenivere, I loved you Guenivere, I loved you.
I loved you, Guenivere, I loved you Guenivere, I loved you.
I loved you, Guenivere, I loved you Guenivere, I loved you.
I loved you, Guenivere, I loved you Guenivere, I loved you.

Did I ever tell you my middle name is Guenivere? Yeah, that's what the "M" stands for. Wait a minute . . . uhhh . . .

Great, great show last night. Almost better than it had a right to be considering how completely shitty the audience was. Well, maybe it was just the people in the upper deck around me. I mean, it just sort of boggles my mind how these people who, obviously, must be Death Cab fans can also be such utter fucking assholes. Aren't Death Cab fans supposed to be sad, vaguely whiny, largely passive-aggressive hipsters and their alterna-hot emo girlfriends? Why in God's name would this obnoxious cunt (British definition) repeatedly yell "YOU SUCK!!!" to goofy, adorable little Travis Morrison? Granted, this new solo project he's embarked upon is not everyone's cup of tea (it's not designed to be), but if you don't like it . . . um, go get a beer and wait for it to be over. This guy's irrational anger and confounding disrespect infected the mood of the whole joint. Well, that's what you get when Q101 sponsors, I guess.

But, Death Cab, ah, Death Cab. I mean, wow. Those boys can play. Much like at the Rufus show the previous night, I always find myself in awe of these singers who open their mouths and sound exactly the way they do on their albums. I mean, how does Ben Gibbard just walk around on the streets knowing he can make that noise come out of his body?

And the songs, the songs! I got a little teary when they launched into "The New Year," and I actually got to hear him sing "I wish the world was flat like the old days / then I could travel just by folding a map / no more airplanes or speed-trains or freeways / there'd be no distance that could hold us back." That line just sends chills down my spine. And, not to keep singling out tunes from Transatlanticism, but what they did live with "We Looked Like Giants" became an incredibly profound, visceral experience. During the instrumental break that, while gorgeous, can feel a bit meandering on the album, they built into this thick, gauzy, sexy, multilayered wall of sound. I involuntarily exclaimed "Jesus!" when they suddenly brought it back down again for Ben to cry out the final "together there / in a shroud of frost the mountain air . . . " Unbelieveable.

I know I sound like a smitten 16 year old right now, and I'm OK with that. I adore this band.