After leaving their unexpectedly successful electro pop supergroup dormant for about eight years, The Postal Service revived their lone album Give Up for a tenth anniversary reissue and a big reunion tour that rolled into Raleigh on Friday night.The show was moved from the Red Hat Amphitheater in downtown to the big shed at Walnut Creek due to the remnants of Tropical Storm Andrea making their way through the Triangle. On numerous occasions Gibbard thanked the crowd for following them out into the "woods" so the show could go on. The bigger venue seemed like it might be tough for the band but they thrilled the packed crowd with sounds many have been wanting to hear for quite a while.
Ben Gibbard, Jim Tamborello and Jenny Lewis with the help of The Mynabirds' Laura Burhenn kicked things off with "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" band rarely stopped throughout the night as they played the entire album Give Up as well as songs from the deluxe reissue.
The band sounded fantastic, though the brunt of the musical load was carried by Tamborello's army of Macbooks. Gibbard danced throughout the set and exuded energy and excitement throughout the show.
Lewis and Gibbard had a playful back and forth on the duet "Nothing Better" including some theatrics as Lewis turned her back on Gibbard as he sang the song's dialogue lyrics to her during the verses.
Lewis' presence was a big part of the show and even though most of her role musically was supporting Gibbard and Tamborello, her vocals added a lot to the set. She even took to the drums for a cover of Beat Happening's "Our Secret" which was considerably more upbeat than the original.
The main set ended with two big pop songs, the new "A Tattered Line of String" and the band's biggest hit, "Such Great Heights." The finished the set with the noisy, bombastic closing track from the album "Natural Anthem."
The band wasn't gone long before they returned for a two-song encore which started with one of the highlights of the set, "(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan," a song from Dntel's album Life Is Full of Possibilities and was a collaboration between Tamborello and Gibbard which led to the creation of The Postal Service.
The night ended with "Brand New Colony" and flocks of hipsters left the big shed likely wondering if The Postal Service will ever release a long-awaited second album. Even if it never comes to be, fans certainly left Walnut Creek satisfied.
New York band Ra Ra Riot opened the show and put on tight set featuring tracks from their three albums. Many club bands have fallen flat when playing big sheds opening for bigger acts but their youthful energy and fantastic grooves sounded great. By the final two songs of the set, "Beta Love" and "Boy," I think the band had won over some new fans that may follow them back to the Cradle next time they come to town.
Set list
The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
We Will Become Silhouettes
Sleeping In
Turn Around
Nothing Better
Recycled Air
Be Still My Heart
Clark Gable
Our Secret
This Place Is a Prison
There's Never Enough Time
A Tattered Line of String
Such Great Heights
Natural Anthem
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(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan
Brand New Colony
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