Death Cab For Cutie @ The Aragon Ballroom

If you blinked, or just stopped keeping track of Death Cab For Cutie, you might have missed that they have developed into a simply great band. Without a new album to support, they made the most of 2 hours by playing old favorites (The New Year, President of What?), hits (Crooked Teeth, I Will Possess Your Heart) and new additions (My Mirror Speaks, No Sunlight) with energy and force.

This being my third time seeing them, I was a little worried that some of the songs would feel old, or dull, but surprisingly they really do age well. I mean, it's a given that they will play "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" and close with "Transatlanticism", but every time they do, it's a sing-a-long with 3000 sweaty fans. You anticipate it, time your beer run by it and every time it's just as good... How do they do that?!?

Other highlights included "Cath..." taking on more life than the album version, Ben Gibbard praising Wrigley Field while mentioning that Cub Fans use high amounts of vulgarity in front of children, and "A Diamond & A Tether". My wish from the "Open Door" blog came true and it did not disappoint. "A Diamond & A Tether" is quickly racing to the top of my "Top 25 Most Played" playlist on my iPod and might stay there a while. Probably not the best thing to play at a wedding or club, but heartbreaking lyrics always get me. Check out what you missed...

1. Marching Bands of Manhattan
2. The New Year
3. We Laugh Indoors
4. Crooked Teeth
5. President of What?
6. My Mirror Speaks
7. No Sunlight
8. Title Track
9. Grapevine Fires
10. I Will Possess Your Heart
11. I Will Follow You Into The Dark
12. Title and Registration
13. Cath...
14. Fake Frowns
15. Long Division
16. The Sound of Settling
17. Bixby Canyon Bridge
(Encore)
18. A Diamond & A Tether
19. A Movie Script Ending
20. Soul Meets Body
21. Transatlanticism