Concert review: Energy ebbs, flows at Interpol show with The Soft Moon

Interpol at House of Blues - Cleveland, Ohio
Photo courtesy of Bryan Pauley

The Rhythm Report presents a concert review by guest writer Bryan Pauley:

In support of their self-titled release, Interpol graced the Cleveland House of Blues with their presence, along with San Francisco-based neo-punk group The Soft Moon.  Dedicated fans from all over Northeast Ohio came out to support the group. While large enough to hold Interpol’s fan base, but small enough to preserve intimacy, the House of Blues seemed to be the ideal venue for the evening. The New York City-originated post-punk group played for nearly an hour and a half, making the crowd bob their heads the entire time. 

The Soft Moon led off the night with an hour-long set filled with drum-machine-based, electronic samples and loops. Their unique song structure, characterized by long repetitive sections, was sounded progressive, reminding me of the psychedelic experimental trio, Animal Collective. Guitarist/vocalist/keyboardist Luis Vaszquez, played minimal guitars, allowing the repetitive loops and drums to take care of the rhythm section. Vaszuez’s vocals where emphasized by many one-syllable noises yelled into the mic and very short sections of melodic lyric singing. The talk of the crowd was that The Soft Moon was a modernized version of Joy Division. Drum programmer Damon Way acknowledged this comparison. 

“I listened to a lot of bands on that label [Factory Records],” said Way. He cited Section 25 and Suicide as two of his personal influences. 

Interpol took the stage to many cheers from their loyal fan base. With help from a touring keyboardist, the usual four-piece performed with five members, including a new bass player to fill in for the departed Carlos Dengler. A founding member, Dengler left the band shortly before the release of Interpol to pursue other projects. Although he left prior to the release of the album, he was still credited for recording the featured bass tracks. 

As the band’s set rolled along, it became apparent as to why most of the fans came out. Songs from their previous albums were well received, while the crowd seemed unfamiliar with the newer material. Even if you were oblivious to the chronology of Interpol’s records, you could tell the old from the new by how the crowd either passionately sang along or stood there bobbing their heads as if waiting for the band to play another classic. Not to undermine the quality of their new album, Interpol’s best works seem to be in the past. 

Singer/Guitarist Paul Banks’ distinctive baritone voice has not changed a bit throughout Interpol’s lifespan. Almost haunting, his voice resonated throughout the venue, sounding just like it does on all of their recordings. Unlike most guitar-playing frontmen, Banks performs a lot of the lead guitar work while singing, a detail that would typically go unnoticed until seeing the band live. Drummer Sam Fogarino doesn’t do anything too outlandish behind his kit. While his fills are somewhat generic, I found that Fogarino kept a consistent groove, which coupled with the rhythm section, kept the music flowing along. “C’mere” and “Slow Hands” seemed to be the fan favorites of the night, receiving the most during the intro to and completion of the songs. With a new member in the band, the creative direction in which Interpol was going may be altered. Wherever it takes them, I hope can be comparable to their work in the 2000s.