When I was in middle school, my music taste was trash. I was listening to a lot of whiny punk rock and pop punk, bands that had good riffs but not much below the surface. A lot of noise, but not a lot of depth. Then my freshman year of high school, I discovered Interpol.
I can still remember exactly where I was, sitting on a futon covered in sawdust in the attic of my garage. My brother and his friends build a skateboard halfpipe in there, we all spent a lot of our time in that sweltering attic. Music was supplied by burned CD’s, the digital age hadn’t quite made it to my family yet. And I just remember hearing this song with slow strumming guitars and a low - almost mumbling voice. It’s up to me now, turn on the bright lights.
At my dull age of 14, I had never heard a band who’s sounds transformed the surroundings around you and transported you to New York City in 2002. The way Interpol evokes so much tone and feeling and emotion in their music - there’s no other band that does it better. I find me always closing my eyes whenever I listen to them, and letting Paul Banks’ words structure my surroundings.
For this gig, I didn’t want to do anything crazy or wild. I just wanted to do my best interpretation of the mood that Interpol’s work gives. City? Check. Night? Check. Smoking on the balcony? Check. Rain? it’s on it’s way.
I can’t say thanks enough to Pat Hamou and the folks at firebrand for making this happen. This gig is seriously a dream come true.