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Arts & Entertainment

They Looked Like Giants

Death Cab for Cutie played to a full house at The Pageant on Oct. 2.

On Sunday night, was booked to capacity for a sold out show by alternative rock band Death Cab for Cutie.

"I made sure I got a ticket early," said Katie Swan, who was also one of the first people in line to get into the show on Sunday afternoon.

Shelby Wallace and Emily Keefe were the first two in line outside the Halo Bar (which provides early entry to The Pageant for concert-goers ages 21 and up), and arrived around 3 p.m.

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"I've loved them for a long time and have never seen them live before," Wallace said. "I listened to Codes and Keys [Death Cab's latest album] and fell in love with every song, so I thought this would be a good show."

Wallace's prediction proved to be right.

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The show started promptly at 8 p.m. with opening band Telekinesis. Lead singer-drummer Michael Lerner, guitarist Cody Votolato and bassist Jason Narduci performed a 40-minute set that included the band's latest single, "Please Ask for Help," from the album 12 Desperate Straight Lines. (Death Cab member Chris Walla produced that album and the band's first album, Telekinesis!.)

"We're really honored and grateful to be here with Death Cab for Cutie," Votolato said.

The band was energetic and was a perfect lead-in for the show's main act.

While the people I spoke with before the concert were all first-timers when it came to seeing Death Cab, this was my third time seeing the band in concert, so I more-or-less knew what to expect. It had been over three years since I last saw them, so I was looking forward to hearing the newer songs live and getting to see them perform some of my favorites.

The band came on at 9 p.m. and didn't stop until 10:35. The enthusiasm of lead singer-guitarist-pianist Ben Gibbard, guitarist-keyboardist Chris Walla, bassist Nick Harmer and drummer Jason McGerr was palpable, and easily transferred to the excited crowd.

"Hello St. Louis," Gibbard said to the crowd after the opening number. "Thanks for having us back."

Instead of playing the full track-listing of their latest album (as a lot of bands tend to do on tour), the set list varied, pulling from albums throughout the band's 14-year history.

The complete 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"
"Your Heart Is an Empty Room"
"You Are a Tourist"
"The New Year"
"Company Calls Epilogue"
"Soul Meets Body"
"A Movie-Script Ending"
"Cath"
"We Looked Like Giants"
"The Sound of Settling"

The fans seemed to appreciate all the songs Death Cab played, with more cheering and clapping for songs from earlier albums such as Plans and Transatlanticism. "Soul Meets Body" was a fan favorite, and so was the band's tour version of "We Looked Like Giants," which is turned into an opus compared to the recorded version.

With the exception of McGerr, each band member played at least two instruments during the song. Gibbard sang, played guitar and hit a second set of drums so exuberantly that he broke one of his sticks while playing (and still kept going).

That enthusiasm seemed to delight fans, who gave the band a standing ovation as they left the stage and continued to stand throughout the encore.

The encore lasted from about 10:40-11 p.m. Death Cab kept the varying set list going with "Title and Registration," "Stay Young, Go Dancing," "Blacking Out the Friction" and "Transatlanticism."

My (high) expectations were met, and thanks to a wide variety of songs, it would be safe to say they were exceeded. After seeing them three times (and enjoying all three shows), going to a Death Cab for Cutie concert is an experience that I would highly recommend.

In addition to the photos of the concert, be sure to check out the YouTube clips for a look at two of the most recent music videos from Death Cab and Telekinesis.

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