Review: Death Cab for Cutie @ The Beacon Theatre

Death Cab for Cutie @ The Beacon Theatre, New York, NY - April 28, 2012

Review: Christopher Arroyo

One of the bigger treats in life, to me at least, has got to be the joy of a great show. It has to have emotion and power, you have to be moved, and goddamn it, it had better sound fucking good. And that’s just what Ben and the boys delivered at the Beacon Theatre last Saturday. I shamefully admit that this was my first Death Cab show and it was worth the wait. 

Opening for them and accrediting themselves fairly well with their dreamy synth rock were the trio Youth Lagoon. Although I have to admit the formula of gloomy piano and gentle singing leading into thumping drums and guitar did get a bit tedious after awhile.

Next up come the boys, complete with an entire orchestra. Specifically the Magik*Magik Orchestra led by Minna Choi, who fans of Codes and Keys will know as the ones responsible for the strings, conducting, and arranging on that amazing record. Ben, walking on stage first begins the haunting piano of "Passenger Seat," and then leads us and the orchestra into "Different Names for the Same Thing." What follows is a unique take on many familiar Death Cab songs by the band and Magik*Magik. Sonically and visually stunning, the show was a perfect mix of the old and the new. Clocking in at almost two hours with seventeen songs and a six song encore (complete with Ben, Jason, Chris, and Nick going MTV Unplugged on us and performing 3 acoustic songs, along with Bob Dylan’s "She Belongs to Me") ending as always with Death Cab’s version of "Stairway to Heaven," the beautiful and powerful "Transatlanticism," this show was definitely worth the price of admission.

With this show I can finally stop saying “I have all of their albums. I know all their songs. They’re one of my favorite bands!!! Yet I’ve never seen them.” I can finally feel like a true Death Cab fan. Now if I can just find my way to a Radiohead show...
-----------
A very big thanks to Mr. Arroyo for the review! We're so glad that you've made your Death Cab dreams come true. Check out the setlist from last Saturday and upcoming tour dates below!

Setlist

Passenger Seat
Different Names for the Same Thing
A Movie Script Ending
Title and Registration
Grapevine Fires
Codes and Keys
Underneath the Sycamore
Little Fury Bugs
Death of an Interior Decorator
You Are a Tourist
Bend to Squares
Hindsight
Cath...
No Joy in Mudville
What Sarah Said
Soul Meets Body
Stay Young, Go Dancing

Encore
Steadier Footing (acoustic)
I Was a Kaleidoscope (acoustic)
Monday Morning (acoustic)
She Belongs to Me (Bob Dylan cover, acoustic)
I Will Follow You into the Dark (Ben with Orchestra)
Tiny Vessels
Transatlanticism

Death Cab for Cutie 2012 Tour Dates

5.3.12 - Dallas, TX - McFarlin Memorial Auditorium 

5.4.12 - Austin, TX - ACL Live at the Moody Theater           

5.6.12- Mesa, AZ - Mesa Arts Center, Ikeda Theater  

5.7.12 - Los Angeles, CA - Walt Disney Concert Hall

5.8.12 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater   

5.9.12 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater   

5.10.12 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater 

5.11.12 - Portland, OR - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall          

5.13.12 - Seattle, WA - The Paramount Theatre          

5.28.12 - Paris, FR - Trianon              

5.29.12 - Lyon, FR - Epicerie Moderne                      

5.30.12 - Toulouse, FR - Le Bikini                 

5.31.12 - Barcelona, Spain - San Miguel Primavera Sound 2012        

6.2.12 - Hässleholm, SE - Siesta Festival                    

6.3.12 - Dublin, Ireland - Forbidden Fruit Festival                  

6.4.12 - Milan, IT - Alcatraz               

6.5.12 - Zürich, CH - Komplex 457                

6.7.12 - Bordeaux, FR - Krakatoa                   

6.9.12 - Porto, Portugal - Optimus Primavera Sound 2012                  

6.30.12 - Niagra-on-the-Lake, Ontario - The Commons at Butler’s Barracks

7.1.12 - Oro, Ontario - Burl’s Creek   

7.3.12 - Cleveland, OH - Jacob’s Pavilion at Nautica 

7.4.12 -Rochester Hills, MI - Meadow Brook Pavillion          

7.5.12 - Milwaukee, WI - Milwaukee Summerfest                  

7.7.12 - Des Moines, IA - 80/35 Music Festival                      

7.8.12 - Lawrence, KS - Liberty Hall  

7.9.12 - Springfield, MO - Gilloz Theatre       

7.10.12 - Tulsa, OK - Cain’s Ballroom           

7.12.12 - Chicago, IL - Taste of Chicago                    

7.13.12 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE    

7.14.12 - Charlottesville, VA - nTelos Wireless Pavilion                    

7.15.12 - Cincinnati, OH - Bunbury Music Festival                

7.17.12 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium 

7.19.12 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theatre   

7.20.12 - Holyoke, MA - Mountain Park        

7.21.12 - Cooperstown, NY - Ommegang Brewery    

7.22.12 - Dover, DE - Firefly Music Festival              

8.18.12 - Tokyo, Japan - Summer Sonic 2012            

8.19.12 - Osaka, Japan - Summer Sonic 2012            

8.22.12 - Honolulu, HI - The Republik