Concert review: Death Cab For Cutie and Rogue Wave at Nokia (June 17)

by Catherine Cuellar

GRAND PRAIRIE — Though most of the show's 5,000+ in attendance no doubt learned of Death Cab For Cutie through their soundtrack appearances on the O.C. and Grey's Anatomy, the set Wednesday night rewarded longtime fans with a fair share of tunes from the band's early years on independent label Barsuk. A handful of tracks from Transatlanticism and The Photo Album rivaled the number of songs from their May 2008 release Narrow Stairs (the group's second full-length recording for Atlantic). Highlights included lead singer Ben Gibbard harmonizing with talented multi-instrumentalist Chris Walla on the new “Long Division,” a Sonic Youth-like eight-minute jam “I Will Possess Your Heart,” and an acoustic audience sing along to “I Will Follow You Into The Dark” from 2005's Plans.

When Death Cab last performed at Nokia, Gibbard said from the stage they wouldn't be back due to the high price of parking at the venue ($15 to $30). But his position on the matter has changed as drastically as his look. Gibbard is almost unrecognizable compared to his former self — looking far skinnier and prettier sans spectacles. In addition to the concert, the band spent their day in Dallas County making a video with Autumn de Wilde.

California Bay Area band Rogue Wave opened the evening at 8pm sharp with a 40 minute set featuring tunes from all three of their CDs (including “Lake Michigan” from last year's Asleep at Heaven's Gate, popularized by its appearance in Microsoft's Zune commercial). The audience wasn't familiar enough with the band's catalog to follow lead singer Zach Rogue's attempts at call-and-response on “Medicine Ball” and “Harmonium” (which recalled U2 at the height of their Joshua Tree powers). But the crowd was politely attentive to sweet steel guitar sounds on “Chicago x 12” and clapped in unison to “Kicking the Heart Out.”

Pegasus community member Rob Shearer contributed to this report.