Death Cab For Cutie @ McCarren Pool, Brooklyn, NYC - pics

ben gibbard looks like john fogerty...

there's dust on that lens.

As much as I enjoy these bands live, I was horribly disappointed with last night's live show. I've seen Rogue Wave before (last time they played @ Irving), they were far less energetic this time. On top of that the sound tech at the venue was HORRIBLE. Despite the earlier soundcheck, he failed to fix the lead vocal levels for Zach Rogue and then for Ben Gibbard. Both singers were unbearable when the bands started to play. Ben's guitars continued to break throughout the concert, until he got so fed up he threw his guitar off stage. If that wasn't enough, the weather ended the concert prematurely, after they had finally plowed through the mediocrity that is Narrow Stairs. Lame. Expensive. The Pool sucks.

Where is BV getting these blog reviews lately? "Not realizing that our impossibly cute outfits were hanging limply from our bodies" -- Are you kidding me? I know it's Death Cab, which I suppose attracts a certain demographic, but man. Nice lightning photography, however. The band shots, though -- I feel like I keep seeing the same photos of all these bands on BV: saturated color, close-up, by rote. I'm not photography expert but, as Mike Skinner says, "Lets ... push ... things ... forward."

i saw death cab at bowery a few times when they were sorta good and their live show was ridiculously boring.

i cant see how they could be good live now that their music is bland puny spank rock.

Well at least the pictures accurately sum up how boring this show must have been. I too have seen bands at the pool (e.g. Ted Leo) that are typically great live but fell completely flat there (bad sound, limited energy).

wow, someone's getting 0-l-d

I personally enjoyed the first picture... sign it?

Vocals at MIA fellated, too. Hopefully not a sign of things to come this summer.

Anyone know what time the Kooks went on last night? Thanks

i always get this band and the shins mixed up. i guess mediocrity has a way of doing that. looks like fun with the storm though. obama rules!

i think as far as "only close-ups" in the photos are concerned, with an arena style show, with a 6+ foot high stage, its not exactly easy to get close and use anything but a long lens, which guess what-- takes close-ups...

Well, Hunter, there's VERY rarely any original content on BV other than copy+paste tour dates and such (along with a few photos). Not necessarily a bad thing, but people generally don't come here for editorial

Speaking of mediocrity... Obama rules?

there's not enough pics of ben

That bassist is always creepy.

I feel like I keep seeing the same photos of all these bands on BV: saturated color, close-up, by rote. I'm not photography expert but, as Mike Skinner says, "Lets ... push ... things ... forward."

hahahaha yeah. the stage was a foot taller than me. unless you want to get me some sort of swinging-from-the-rafters situation you're going to get shots like this.

re: dust on the lens... remember the fact that there was a thunderstorm? there was dust swirling around as if there was a tornado or something so intensely in the pool we were all tearing up from all the shit in our eyes.

I thoroughly enjoyed the concert. I mean ben's guitar did go out once or twice but stop bitching and appreciate the music for what it is. I feel that your criticism goes too far,if death cab for cutie wasn't a good band than why would you buy a ticket for them in the first place? I thought the band sounded awesome. They played alot of older stuff (Transatlanticism and back) which is Deat Cab at its best. The crowd was chill, the venue is awesome, and the storm actualy gave it an unusually climactic ending. Definitely will be attending the wilco show coming up.

I would just beg to differ on Ted Leo last year at the pool. That was a fantastic show. I bet if you ask Ted he will tell you that was one of his best shows ever.

good for gibbard to grow out his hair and grow mutton chops to try and cover up his fat face and body, but his 8th grade lyrical prose still sucks and they're abysmal live.

well, those pics are admittedly not the best. Clearly not as good as Bao or Jospe. still interesting though, esp the street shots.

Wow... this negativity... it's so... suprising. Let's see: the band sucks, Ben sucks, Ben's old, Ben's overweight, the new material sucks, the photos suck, the venue sucks, and BV's coverage sucks. I probably suck, too. (Let's just get that one out of the way.)

set list?

10:26, don't forget that Obama allegedly sucks too!

In defense of Elizabeth and her photos, McCarren is really hard to shoot considering the stage is fifty feet tall, Death Cab is one of the most boring bands to shoot, and I'm sure it was hot as hell out there. Anyways I think Elizabeth is definitely one of the most talented young photographers in New York right now. Some of her other work will blow you away. That is all.

Oh wait, what time does Daft Punk go on?

Last night was like an indie rock 9/11, with the wild winds and zombie-like wandering through Greenpoint and Williamsburg. McCarren can now be dubbed Underground Zero. Let's all band together and fight this awful weather oppressor!

yeah, i have to say...all the hating on the photography...fuck you. seriously, if you don't like it, get yourself a camera and take your own fucking shots. guess what, i don't like death cab. i spent time in seattle and knew them when they were a little local band in bellingham and i still thought they sucked. but that's ok, it's just not my thing. i can still appreciate someone taking their own time and money to share pics though and that should at least be appreciated.

man, life is so tough. im gonna go listen to "death cab"...

i was very disappointed in the death cab show. the sound was awful and they didn't play well together. their live performance has turned me off to the band.

Not sure if we're allowed to comment on the music here (heh), but for me, what actually did suck was that for the second NYC show in a row, we got gypped on "Transatlanticism" (the song). It has been closing the shows on this tour and we obviously never got there last night. Iirc, the last NYC full-band show was with Franz Ferdinand at Hammerstein in '06 -- and due to the show running late, DCFC's encore got cut (b/c of the curfew) and "Transatlanticism" got dropped.

Hi everyone, I'm really sorry about the weather at the show, and kind of embarrassed about it. See, I was worried they were gonna encore with "Transatlaticism", and that reminds me of an ex.
It was a bad judgement call.
I promise better weather for Ween, I'm a huge fan.

anybody have the setlist?

i was pretty satisfied with the show save for the crowd... it's not just the same anymore :(

and too bad we didn't get our encore... there goes that $41.50 tix :(

"Despite everything -- the moment was just as it should have been."

"Despite everything -- the moment was just as it should have been."

"Despite everything -- the moment was just as it should have been."

"Despite everything -- the moment was just as it should have been."

"Despite everything -- the moment was just as it should have been."

"Despite everything -- the moment was just as it should have been."

"Despite everything -- the moment was just as it should have been."

Please go back to your Zach Braff movie. Thanks.

I thought the entire concert was a mess, believe me, I wanted it to be good. Ben was such a baby, he kept throwing tantrums through out the barely 1 hour long concert. So what if the equipment was messed up, bands have to deal with this shit all the time. He just threw the guitar (twice) and left the stage and didn't even say thanks. Very upsetting for all the fans who came to see the show at a whopping 107F...I want my money back!

I am over being blindly devoted to a band - they need to live up to my expectations.

GROW UP BEN!

To "Yo what's the deal"...didn't mean to suggest the Ted Leo show was a bad one. It was a good show. But I thought their energy and sound were better captured at the MHOW show on 12/05/07. Just my opinion...

A lot of these comments sum up my feelings about the band and the venue. Some bands should stay in the studio and never tour - Death Cab is one of them. Waste of money.

sonic youth tore up that venue last summer when they did 'daydream nation'. i'm sure some other acts will do just fine there this summer. be patient.

donkey boner!

wasn't there, but do fans have any grounds for demanding a refund?

at the very least, did the band release any sort of statement? no, i know it's not their fault at all, but they had a packed house (err, pool) with tickets after ticketmaster fees fetching $50. if not the band, then maybe the promoter (aeg live) should say something rather than just leaving people out like this?

also, it'd probably be worthwhile for the band to try coming back anyway. with such a successful album out right now, they could probably easily field another new york date and maybe a cut a break to those original ticket holders.

Rain or shine, no exchanges, no refunds!

PS - Sooooooo horny.

i saw them at the bowery on the "we have the facts tour" i think in 2000? I was 15.

at a quiet moment in the set, someone shouted "NO MAJORS!!! STICK WITH US" to which ben gibbard made a reassuring comment

SO MUCH FOR THAT!

seriously tho, does anyone else remember that show? someone else must have heard that... it was actually an incredible show, The Prom opened, and they played this song that I haven't heard since but has been stuck in my head for about 8 years...too bad it's impossible to find their recordings...

someone else tell me they were there

a refund? you guys are babies. the weather is an act of god, force majeure if you will. yes, it's unfortunate but they had to end early due to SAFETY ISSUES. dear lord.

To 10:53,

The last full-band appearance was actually when they played 2 nights at the Theatre @ MSG in November of 06. And, yes, they played your beloved song there.

to hipster poseur, re: ben's weight.

1- Are you a 5th grade bully? You must be in a TAG program if the 8th graders at your school write like Ben.

2- If you went to a show lately, or even looked at the pics posted above you would see that ben lost 50 pounds. As of last night he could have been dennis leary's body double.

If there was some sorta roof on the pool, modest mouse would have blown it off last year. Simply Amazing

12:00... I stand corrected. I was there as well. Ted Leo opened. Great show.

you don't have to take pictures to say you don't like the ones that are up. you don't have to play music to say you don't like something you heard.

booyakasha

dood! when did john fogherty join DCFC?!? HOT!

What was with the constant spitting by Ben?..That was fucking disgusting

everyonessucha grouch...are you gibbard's personal trainer?

Does anyone know when the SIgur Ros tickets go on sale?

ben's looking like meat loaf (circa: rocky horror picture show).

"What was with the constant spitting by Ben?..That was fucking disgusting"

well, at least he didn't take a pee...

Too bad about NYC. They played for about two hours in Toronto on the weekend, and their set was mainly comprised of old stuff. Really, really good.

everyonessucha grouch - primo TAG comment, heh. Cheers to that!

Talented group of individuals. The performance was par for the band -- they're not exactly flambouyant in nature. Great venue filled with good people (good beer, too).

Ben Gibbard never disappoints. Had the 3rd row pleasure of seeing him at the Town Hall NYC with Bright Eyes. I never thought I'd ever feel so compelled to scream the lyrics to "I Will Follow You Into the Dark".....

I thought the set was great. I wish it hadn't ended 30 minutes early but the ending was fantastic. I've never been disappointed in their shows before but I'd expect people here to differ with that. It was nice to hear more old than new but they've done that every time I've seen them. I only wish the vocals had been louder/that I could've seen the last half hour.

I'm probably the only one here who is hoping for another tour after this one, like they did when Plans came out.

more pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/uponthousands/sets/72157605546936074/

i like Narrow Stairs. give it a chance to grow on you. it's not Something About Airplanes, but i'm glad this band is still making tight music.

i saw death cab on their last tour at hammerstein. the songs sounded exactly as they do on the records, so it was fairly boring. the crowd consisted mostly of 20 year olds, which is fine - it's rock music, after all. in 2003 my friends and i were talking about how bands like death cab and the shins are considered "indie" yet are pop enough for everyone to enjoy, so now that everyone caught on, i'm neither surprised nor upset.

i prefer my death cab experience via stereo or headphones. (same goes for the shins.)

Well I suck too, but I'm Gay so it's OK
the show sucking was not so OK

You fucking pretentious haters need to stop trolling the boards talking about how "mediocre" Death Cab is, as if you were some kind of expert. DAMN us is some of us happen to like subdued songs and excellent lyrics that stay away from the scenified "glam" bullshit some other bands try to pull off, or don't scream until their lungs bleed. Complexity and pulling rabbits out of hats do NOT good music make.
Fact is, Death Cab have been making great music and have had a strong following for more than ten years. So if I were you, I'd hold your tongue for once. I know you feel SO hardcore trashing a band that GOD FORBID managed to become popular, but honestly, shut up.
And I don't know what the hell you're thinking calling Ben fat, because if you saw him last night, you could tell he lost MAD weight. He looked very good.

wow everyone's so angry.
ben's not fat [anymore].
i've seen them three times at these large-ish venues and they sound pretty much the same in studio as they do live which is what that guy up there is saying hence their boring stage presence. because of that, i knew not to bother with that show at mccarren pool because death cab indoors is hardly an exciting show so death cab outdoors obviously wouldn't be worth $41.50.
nick harmer, the bassist, may look creepy in photos, but he's actually one of the most approachable and energetic people i've ever met.
LOL at that zach braff comment... that review of the show does stank of sugar and daisies.
but all in all, good for death cab. they're big enough so that ben can throw his guitar around on stage because it doesn't work... i guess they've earned it.

5:01,

It's NYC, of course everyone's angry. It's part of being a NYer.

I had a good time yesterday, was a little pissed the show got cut short but I understand that it's better to sacrifice 5-6 songs than to have your lights fall on you or get struck by lightning/electrocuted.

Also, to all the complainers (and there are a lot of you), I'm sure the band will be back in the area. The disc has only been out for one month so there is plenty of touring to be done. There will probably be the obligatory 3-night stand at Terminal 5 (because that's where all the "cool" bands play) or maybe one night at MSG/Theatre @ MSG.

set list (since i think this wall needs a bit more info--from people who were actually there--and a bit less bitching all around):

bixby canyon bridge. the new year. why you'd want to live here. photobooth. crooked teeth. long division. grapevine fires. a movie script ending. company calls. company calls (epilogue). soul meets body. i will follow you into the dark. i will possess your heard. cath... . we laugh indoors. the sound of settling.

[ben was practically drowning in his own sweat, and i'd say his guitars not working on top of that merited him throwing his instruments around and just singing his heart out into the crowd.

and for mark b: i was at that bright eyes concert, too. when ben came out, it was like my music worlds colliding.]

how bad is this venue? I'm considering going to a free show there in July. It sort of looks like Guantanamo Bay. Would u say it is better or worse?

^^^ the pool is a great venue. don't let a bunch of stupid bitching brooklyn vegan-ers discourage you. they never have anything to positive to say anyway

if it's free, why wouldn't you go? if you end up not liking it, you can just leave. nothing lost but a few hours of your day. definitely give it a chance.

the pool is good but maybe the sound is bad for everyone
or just death cab ????
i was there and it was the most boring show
with the worst sound i have ever seen
and i am an old guy like way old.

deathcab is a great band and ive seen them play great shows. although mccarren pool has a super vibe, it really robs alot of bands their sound.

either way, i had a great time. down with the negativity friends!!

the venue is brilliant.

I really don't care for your Hot Topic / Urban Outfitter types (kind of silly looking lot they are) that represent DCFC's demographic, but aside from all of the fancy misunderstood bohemian types, the band shines on beyond the mid 1990's Calvin Klein reject models that compromise 90% of the audience. Hipsters are funny to gawk at.

There was a real sense of danger as the show ended. The lights swaying, the escalating gusts of wind, the poor exit plans, the toppling beer tents as the storm came swift and hard. We were soaked, and shut out as the show had ended in a perfectly abrupt chaotic evacuation.

DCFC = great.

I was there, and honestly, i had a blast. A chill crowd that wasn't pushing to get close like a warped tour show, and the weather was entertaining to me. A movie script ending, perhaps.

Okay, that was lame.

But really, people need to stop being so elitist. You like Death Cab, or you don't, and if you don't, why the hell are you wasting your time going to their shows and posting on this blog? Way to have a life.

P.S. Go Obama.

i love dcfc and "narrow stairs." check out "cath..." ben looks smokin' hot.

and the bassist nick is outrageously present and intense; he is beautiful and like dcfc's rock.

I guess I'm not hip enough to know better, but I had a great time at the show. With the crazy weather the whole thing was way more intense than I had expected, and despite the sound problems the band was tight and focused. It was a chill crowd of people mostly old enough to know how to behave and enjoy a show - I couldn't have asked for more. My first DCFC show and hopefully not my last.

actually it looks like ben has lost weight, he looks way skinnier than before! duh only a true fan like me would know! TRUST!

you know, i've never been someone who rants against what i think is wrong, but seriously there are some pretty stupid people here.

this board's pretty elitist so i'd like to see some fucking pictures up here because i'm hearing a lot of shit about gibbard's weight and hair and whatnot but i don't see you posting any of yourselves.

the concert as i saw it was great. it was a great venue and they would have kept delivering had their not been a safety hazard.
anyone who thought it was the band's fault for leaving can stay behind. HURR HURR LETS STAND UNDR THE LITES HURR KEEP PLAY.

If anyone has an extra poster from the merch booth, email me. Jenivirgo@aol.com.
In the rain soaked ending, I forgot to grab one. I will make you a nice offer.
Thanks.