Death Cab for Cutie returned to Phoenix on Friday, bringing their I Built You A Tower Tour to Arizona Financial Theatre. The band is celebrating over two decades of classic songs alongside the release of their latest album and a packed house in Arizona was ready to get emotional.
Nation of Language bounded out first, opening the night with a wall of synth pop goodness that had the fans grooving along. The trio had it all- twinkling keys, crunchy basslines and a roster of vocal effects that only enhanced the performance. Their energy got the audience warmed up, moving and ready for the night’s main act.
Following the release of the band’s newest album, this tour finds Death Cab balancing fresh material from I Built You A Tower with the catalog that has made them one of indie rock’s most enduring live acts. Ben Gibbard and company took the stage to “Riptides”, all while backed by blinding lights and production. Every song had the room screaming along but it was the gut punch of “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” and “I Will Possess Your Heart” back to back that hit fans right in their emotions. After a career-spanning set, the night came to a reluctant end- but not until the band delivered a bruising encore that rounded out the show with “Transatlanticism”. With so many iconic songs under their collective belt, Death Cab for Cutie has proven once again that their catalog has and will continue to stand the test of time.
