Interpol, Bridezilla @ThePalace, Melbourne (07/01/2011)

Mon 10th Jan, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Much vaunted act Bridezilla were a pleasant surprise choice of supports for atmospheric mood-rockers Interpol. The Sydney band’s mix of folk and dream pop was extremely well received by the near capacity crowd, with Holiday Sidewinder’s ethereal vocals lulling us through gentle lullabies as they mix dulcet tones with a slight lisp. The addition of violin and saxophone add depth and layers to compositions like Lunar Eclipse and Heart You Hold, whilst a few members dodge between guitar, keyboard and tambourines. Daisy Tulley is certainly the most energetic of the overwhelmingly shy five piece, rocking around the stage with her violin throughout the set. It is always good to see a drummer who doesn’t overcompensate with a ridiculously sized kit and only knows how to play harder or faster, and Josh Bush manages to lay down enticing backing rhythms that never overwhelm the rest of the instrumentation. Saxophonist Millie Hall changes things up by singing lead and playing keys for one track and while her voice sits well next to Sidewinder’s, the lyrics lack the surety and restraint of her bandmates, but no doubt this will come with maturity.

Opening with Success, the first track off their self-titled new album, Interpol lay a trend for the rest of the set by having the opening bars of each and every song greeted by rapturous applause from the sold-out Palace. Apart from the foolhardy decision to wear full suits at a show tailing a 35 degree plus day, Interpol seem refreshingly lacking in Rockstar cliches. No power stances, sunglasses or overblown light shows are required to convey the bands passion for their craft. Songs like Leif Erikson and Narc, with their slow burn groove and postpunk influences provide all the initiation that the crowd needs to celebrate.

While songs from the new album like Summer Well, Lights and Memory Serves hold a strong place and highlight the touring addition of a keyboard player, those from the previous three albums are run out in equal measure. Throughout the performance, it’s Paul Banks instantly recognisable vocals that entrance on tracks like Rest My Chemistry: “I’ve slept for two days, I’ve bathed in nothing but sweat.”

Evil, Mammoth and Obstacle 1 round out the set before the band close with the faster pace of Slow Hands, with its Strokes-aping guitar lick. Returning for an encore that includes NYC and PDA before closing with a drawn out version of Not Even Jail, which unfortunately doesn’t seem to capture the excitement of previous songs. Yet a lacklustre closing number can’t put a dampener on what is ultimately a great, no-frills gig.

Check out photos from the gig here