Midway through Death Cab for Cutie’s show Friday at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre, lead singer Ben Gibbard stopped to tell the crowd they smelled a bit different than average concert attendees.
“A lot of times, the crowd will smell like alcohol or maybe they’ll smell like weed,” Gibbard said. “You guys smell like coffee.”
Caffeine might be part of why the crowd of more than 2,000 remained so energetic during Death Cab’s set, which covered songs from the band’s 11-year career. The Seattle-based indie pop band played for nearly two hours and covered most of their mainstream radio hits, including “I Will Possess Your Heart,” “Soul Meets Body,” and “Transatlanticism” to close the show.
A&O Productions brought Death Cab as its fall concert. Syd Cohen, A&O chairwoman, said she considered the show a success.
“We’ve been getting a positive response from the students, and that’s what’s important to us,” she said. “I was happy to see that there were so many people there. The floor was packed and the seats were filled.”
This is the second consecutive show A&O has put on at the Riviera, following a concert Spring Quarter by Counting Crows. During the Counting Crows concert, many in attendance talked through the set as the band played mostly songs from their new album that the audience seemed unfamiliar with. Death Cab’s set covered familiar ground and kept the audience singing along through most of the show.
Cohen said A&O would continue to look at the Riviera for future shows, but added it’s important to hold shows on campus, too.
“What’s fantastic about the Riviera is you’re able to get a venue for a large number of people while staying cost effective,” she said. “But with on-campus events, there’s a certain sense of pride to keep things local. There’s so many things to consider when figuring out where to hold an event.”
Communication freshman Ryan Hynes said while he isn’t a huge Death Cab fan, he was able to connect with their set.
“It was a good show for those who aren’t as familiar with everything Death Cab’s ever done,” he said. “They played all their singles, so I was able to get into that.”
Hynes said he noticed a large number of freshmen wearing their Class of 2012 shirts at the concert. And, as a freshman, Hynes said Death Cab was a great introduction to Northwestern shows.
“A lot of schools might not have access to a band like Death Cab or a venue like the Riviera,” he said. “It was really impressive.”
