Interpol Turns on the Bright Lights at Chicago Theatre

Words + Photos by Ava Butera

On February 7th, I finally had the opportunity to witness not only one of my favorite bands live, but a vital piece of New York City music history. As I was growing up and beginning to discover my own likes music-wise -- not just the same old same old classic rock my parents played during my childhood, and later my young adulthood -- I went through many different genre phases. This included punk, new wave, modern alternative rock bands, until I ultimately stumbled upon the early 2000’s indie rock bands. Though many of the bands from said scene derive different influence from one another and sound drastically unique, I considered this a genre. Having been born and raised in South Florida, I often dreamed of getting a chance to even slightly relive that gracious time period of rock and roll in one of my favorite cities ever. For the time being, I continuously read Meet Me in the Bathroom, a book detailing the oral history of that NYC indie rock scene. One band that continued to stand out to me due to their versatility and artistry was Interpol. ​
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Unlike any of these other bands from this scene, Interpol has continued to stay relevant, while also somewhat flying under the radar. They’re still generous to their fans -- this can be shown in their diverse setlist, which caters to fans at all walks of life. They genuinely enjoy making music. It’s obvious they absolutely love performing. And most importantly, they have remained an important pioneer in the indie rock scene. 

Entering the Chicago Theater on February 7th, I was awestruck by the beauty of the venue and also by the fact that I would finally be seeing Interpol. The juxtaposition between a rock band like Interpol and the beautiful historic landscape was breathtaking. However, before the band took the stage, opener Sunflower Bean did the deed of winning over the crowd as the opener. Though both groups derive influence from different areas, they have one thing in common -- they love to rock, but again, in different ways. Sunflower Bean are probably the only band in the alternative rock music scene at the moment who is truly doing the rock and roll genre justice. They incorporate long guitar solos into their set, lead singer Julia Cumming struts around the stage like a superstar, guitarist Nick Kivlen wears sunglasses and 70’s-esque garb and oozes an effortlessly cool attitude, and they include catchy drum hooks, thanks to drummer Jacob Faber.

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As Interpol graced the stage at 9PM sharp, the lights went dim and stayed dim. Only the soft light of a sole disco ball became the light source for the duration of the first two songs. Though difficult to photograph, it was wondrous to view in person. Between the stunning performance from Interpol and the detailed light show, the crowd was absolutely astonished. Interpol fans are loyal— though the crowd tended to be a lot older than me, the fans came out early and stayed late, a truly dedicated sold-out crowd. 

Opening with “Pioneer to the Falls,” a moody yet crescendoing track from my favorite album from the band, Our Love To Admire, Interpol gradually eased into their anthemic setlist. Next, the band quickly transitioned into “C’mere” from the fan-favorite, Antics, before then introducing some newer tracks from Marauder, like “If You Really Love Nothing,” “Complications,” and the exceptional single, “The Rover."

Toward the end of the band’s set, they played iconic tracks from El Pintor as well as Antics, like “All the Rage Back Home,” “Not Even Jail,” and “Slow Hands.” Before ultimately smashing their encore by playing “Lights” and “Obstacle 1,” fan-favorites from the band’s debut, Turn On the Bright Lights.
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The show tonight reminded be of how great the New York City rock scene truly is. Interpol, a dark, brooding, yet well-versed band alongside newcomers, Sunflower Bean fresh out of the Brooklyn DIY scene. Although both are different, they both are part of Renaissances within rock music. It’s truly unfathomable how important these rock Renaissances are and thanks to pivotal bands like Interpol and bands that are keeping the flame alive like Sunflower Bean, we will continue to witness this rebirth of music and culture happen right before our eyes.

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SETLIST:
1. Pioneer to the Falls
2. C'mere
3. If You Really Love Nothing
4. Public Pervert
5. Roland
6. Complications
7. Say Hell to the Angels
8. NYC
9. Take You on a Cruise
10. The Rover
11. Number 10
12. Rest My Chemistry
13. Evil
14. Flight of Fancy
15. The New
16. All the Rage Back Home
17. Slow Hands

ENCORE:
18. Lights
19. Not Even Jail
20. Obstacle 1