It was one of those “Are you going to…?” nights, as the world and its wife, or the Dublin muso world at least, crammed into the Village for the second visit from Interpol. Last time around, an unknown quartet played a support slot to four men and a dog. But tonight’s turnout is richly deserved, as Turn On The Bright Lights is the best album from last year that we’re all beginning to catch up with now.
The latest band of New Yorkers to ignite our tastebuds take to the stage and launch into the soaring ‘Untitled’. It sounds magnificent and they look great. Perhaps a little too great, as all these razor sharp suits and chiselled cheekbones could make The Strokes look like a bunch of guys queuing for the gents at a football match. My sole petty complaint is that Interpol are a bit too static and aloof for their own good. Sure, it’s part of the appeal, mystery and schtick, but a bit more connection with the audience and warmth wouldn’t go amiss.
But back to the music – it’s stunning and gets even better with each song. Their best four and a half minutes and first single ‘PDA’ leaves us gasping, ‘Stella Was A Driver And She Was Alway Down’ is a trillion times better than it is on record and ‘NYC’ makes the whole room swoon. They are far, far superior to anyone in the current retro brat pack, with songs that remind you of Sonic Youth without the feedback, the Velvets without the drones, Joy Division without the doom laden fatalism and The Fall with lyrics that you can actually decipher.
Sadly, like any great show, it’s over far too quickly. But methinks an even bigger hall beckons.