Interpol: A Quick Recap

1. The Aragon Ballroom sucks. Sure, it's nice looking inside, but the acoustics are downright awful. I knew this, of course, after seeing the Pixies there about three years ago, but we were way in the back, so I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. Tonight I was in the center, about 15-20 in front of the mixing board, and about 30 feet from the stage. The sound still sucked.
2. Liars - sorry but I just couldn't get into these guys. I'm willing to forgo structure at times. It can work. For me, it didn't work with these guys.
3. Interpol, sound problems aside, put on an entertaining show. Nice effects on stage. Good timing of the set. They played for an hour, a good mix of all three albums, and did a three song encore. Good stage presence, as one would expect from a band with their experience. Not a ton of rapport with the crowd, which kind of fits their image, and also is more what one would expect in a bigger venue. Remember, I don't go to places this big very often. Capacity is 4,500 people. By contrast, the biggest venue I visit more frequently is the Vic, which holds less than 1/3 the people that the Aragon holds, and even that's a bit large for my tastes.
   
4. Here's the incomplete and out of order setlist:
1. Untitled
2. Obstacle 1
3. PDA (they closed with it)
   
4. Say Hello to the Angels
5. Stella Was a Diver and She's Always Down
6. Evil
7. Narc
8. Take You on a Cruise
9. Slow Hands
10. Not Even Jail
11. C'mere
12. Pioneer to the Falls (opened with this)
    
13. No I in Threesome
14. The Scale
15. The Heinrich Maneuver
16. Mammoth
17. Rest My Chemistry

Ultimately, though, it was worth it. It was the first time I've seen them, so I can't complain. Off to the Riviera tomorrow for Spoon.