Interpol

And, as my month of concerts begins to wind down, we come to Interpol.

Another enormously satisfying show at the Riv. In stark contrast to the Death Cab crowd, this was one of the most lovingly boisterous yet respectful audiences I've been a part of in a long time. The fever pitch of enthusiasm that erupted the moment they took the stage was sustained, undiminished, throughout the entire set. It was amazing. And, toward the end of the show, when the band totally cut out after the first chorus of "PDA," the house went out of their minds with delirious anticipation waiting for the second verse to kick back in.

They played as well as they ever have, and, as Giddy astutely pointed out, they're still having fun with the tunes from Bright Lights, even though they've been living with them for well over two years now. Paul's voice just keeps getting stronger and warmer, and Kessler's guitar work is laser-sharp. My only (minor) complaint about the show is that the way the lights were set up didn't allow me to see Sam at the drums. I couldn't take my eyes off him when we saw them play last year, and I wish I would have had the chance to do the same this time around.

But, they played "Length of Love," so I can't complain about anything at all, really. Best. Song. Ever.

As far as the opening bands go, I wanted to like The Secret Machines more than I actually did, and though the vocalist for Hail Social was a bit lacking, I was pleasantly surprised by how sharp they were on the whole.