There Was No Lack of Color at Death Cab For Cutie and Postal Service's DFW Show

Every bang, clap, strum and lyric at Sunday night’s sold-out Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service double-headlining show was executed to perfection, and we’re not exaggerating. Ben Gibbard and company gave nostalgia-seeking fans exactly what they wanted with highly animated and thoughtful performances of two incredible albums: Transatlanticism and Give Up. And after 20 years, it felt just like falling in love again.

Gibbard, as if powered by a motor, was visibly energized on the Texas Trust CU Theatre stage, swaying his guitar left and right to the beat as Death Cab For Cutie opened the show. He brought a physicality to the performance that made the entire night feel like a theatrical production.

Death Cab took the stage dressed in all black, and the commanding opener, “The New Year,” immediately set the standard for the evening. It then flowed seamlessly into the second track on the album, “Lightness.” And so it went the majority of each set, as if they dropped the needle on a record and let it play through naturally.
It was a big night of music throughout North Texas, with other acts Depeche Mode and Polyphonic Spree also drawing crowds. Fans could be heard throughout the venue commenting on having to make a big decision on which act to catch. Every seat was accounted for at Texas Trust CU Theatre, though, and it was clear how much this rare tour meant to the concertgoers.

After the initial cheers and hollers among the crowd, the venue went near-silent as Gibbard performed “Transatlanticism,” under a spotlight and with clear, deliberate passion in his voice. Almost as if performed as a monologue, the lyrics “I need you so much closer” crescendoed massively into a venue-wide singalong. And then the venue fell silent again as Gibbard performed “Passenger Seat,” which was one of many examples of his vocal talent throughout the evening.

The second half of the set saw members of The Postal Service, including former Rilo Kiley frontwoman Jenny Lewis, dressed in all white, a total contrast from her opening set. This tour by Postal Service, originally made up of Gibbard and Dntel's Jimmy Tamborello, was the band's first live performance in 10 years. It was clear by the crowd reaction that this is was what everyone was waiting for, as nearly everyone rose to their feet.

With the same high energy, Gibbard jumped between singing, guitar playing and manning the drums. All songs were played in their original form, with no real diversions from how fans expected to hear them. Gibbard and Lewis maintained infectious energy together throughout the show as they duetted on several songs, including the mega crowd-pleaser “Nothing Better.”

At least one infant was among the crowd, a clear marker of time as many of the fans of these two generation-defining albums — soundtracks of their younger selves — have now aged into parents who still crave the youthful feeling the albums provide. The excitement and raw energy from Gibbard and all members of each band was refreshing and felt unique to this one evening with this crowd. If he can keep this level of enthusiasm up for the whole tour, Gibbard’s on track to provide plenty of fans with one of the most memorable nights of their lives.