Death Cab For Cutie plays career spanning two-hour set in Cary

All photos by Kevin Norris

One of the biggest "indie" band around these days rolled into Cary Monday night to play a career spanning set for a packed house at Koka Booth Amphitheatre.

The band opened with the eight and a half minute jam "I Will Possess Your Heart" before launching into the short, poppy "Crooked Teeth." The band dug way back into their catalog throughout the night, starting early with "We Laugh Indoors" and "Photobooth."

They are supporting their new album Codes and Keys, but only sprinkled in five new songs into the 23-song set. The new songs sounded great in the set, especially the title track, "Codes and Keys," and "You Are a Tourist."

There were clearly fans of varying vintages in the crowd, some responding strong to newer songs like "Grapevine Fires" and "You Are a Tourist" while others responded strongly to older songs like "Title Track" and "Company Calls." One song it seems everyone could agree on though was the campfire ballad "I Will Follow You Into the Dark," which sparked a big singalong.

At the end of the main set, the band turned back to their breakthrough album, 2003's Transatlanticism. They closed with the epic "We Looked Like Giants," which featured an extended jam with Ben Gibbard playing a second, smaller drum set. They closed with the pop anthem "The Sound of Settling" before leaving the stage.

After a few minutes, the band returned to play the acoustic ditty "Stay Young, Go Dancing," certainly the most upbeat song the band has ever released. The band turned back to the old days for the dynamic "A Movie Script Ending," before calling it a night with the tremendous "Transatlanticism." The grandiose song was a perfect cap to an evening which proved that the once small indie band from Washington have stepped into their own.

Scottish band Frightened Rabbit opened the show with a fantastic set of soaring pop. Highlights of the set included "Music Now," "Backwards Walk" and their set closer "The Loneliness and the Scream." Their short set certainly left fans wanting more. Hopefully they'll come back to the Triangle soon.

Death Cab For Cutie set list
I Will Possess Your Heart
Crooked Teeth
We Laugh Indoors
Photobooth
Doors Unlocked and Open
Long Division
Grapevine Fires
Codes and Keys
What Sarah Said
I Will Follow You Into the Dark
Title Track
You Are a Tourist
The New Year
Some Boys
President of What?
Company Calls
Soul Meets Body
Cath...
We Looked Like Giants
The Sound of Settling
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Stay Young, Go Dancing
A Movie Script Ending
Transatlanticism

Death Cab For Cutie








Frightened Rabbit