Interpol @ The Anthem - 2/15/2019
Interpol at The Anthem (Photo by Anna Moneymaker / @anna.money)
Interpol, one of the finest rock bands to come out of New York City’s early 2000’s indie rock scene, came to Washington DC to play at The Anthem as part of their tour to promote the release of their sixth album Marauder. Paul Banks’ baritone vocals, Daniel Kessler’s infectious guitar riffs and Sam Fogarino’s expansive drumming capabilities made for a great night of nostalgia for early twenty-first-century rock fans. But the dark infectious music and visionary production also showed how indie rock music is not close to being just a genre from the past, in a time where music includes a lot more sounds of pop and electronics.
The band opened up with “Pioneer To The Falls,” the opening song off of 2007’s Our Love to Admire, following that up with “C’mere,” a bouncier tune from 2004’s Antics. The rest of the set included an even mixture of songs from each of their six albums, with an encore that included “Obstacle 1,” one of their biggest hits. As they performed, the members of Interpol remained stoic and composed, hardly thrashing around or swaying to their music. The band, including the tour members, wore dark suits and ties. This serious demeanor juxtaposed with the gigantic disco ball, massive light reflection and the large red letters that spelled INTERPOL, created a memorable, noire-like display.
Interpol’s show in DC was the last show of the North American tour before their return to New York City to play Madison Square Garden. Opening for Interpol in DC was up-and-coming New York rock band Sunflower Bean.
