Death Cab Heats Up At Stir Cove!

Story and Photos: Spencer Fleming

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Sunday night (7.26) was another hot one! Indie-rock legends Death Cab for Cutie had Stir Cove on fire with their unique blend of pop and alternative hits. Despite the insane temperature (over 90+ at show time) thousands of fans packed the amphitheater for an unforgettable evening. Brining along newcomers Nation of Language the show was most impressive.

When Nation of Language kicked things off at 8:00 the sun was still hanging heavy. All around the venue fans were drenching towels, chugging water, and clinging to any bit of shade they could find. This was going to be a test of endurance!

Nation of Language got things going with an upbeat set of synth-pop akin to the likes of New Order, Depeche Mode, and the Smiths, but with a modern twist. These guys were on my radar because Marq at Homer's had mentioned them in his blog several times. I was really looking forward to catching them, and they did not disappoint. Marq will never steer you wrong! Even with the blistering heat the fans were bobbing along to the catchy tunes. The songs were really fun and under cooler circumstances I would've been inclined to cut a rug. It took everything I had to shoot the first three songs and then cowardly hide out at Guy Fieri's kitchen while watching the rest of the set in the AC. Nation of Language put in a good thirty minutes before thanking the crowd for showing up early to support. I got the feeling the set was a bit rushed due to the heat. If Nation of Language does a headlining run I'd definitely be interested in catching them again.

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At 9:00 the sun was finally gone but the heat still persisted. The blaring sounds of a punchy synth cut through the thick muggy air. Death Cab stepped forth and lit up the stage. The fans who were hanging on greeted them warmly. The band tore into "Riptides" from their brand-new album I Built You A Tower. The Death Cab faithful packed the first eight rows and pressed forward to get that perfect picture or throw up the "rock" horns. I did my best to capture the band in all their glory from a few dozen yards back by the soundboard. It may be time to invest in a super long lens! Even with the heat and the not-so-great photo position I was drinking in all the Death Cab goodness. After "Riptides" the band continued with a more recent track "Roman Candles" from their 2022 album Asphalt Meadows. Next was one of my all-time favorites "The New Year", which is the opening track to their 2003 masterpiece Transatlanticism.

Death Cab put in an awesome set despite burning alive on stage. Stir Cove was treated to several new songs and some deep cuts like another personal favorite "Company Calls" taking it all the way back to 2000's We Have The Facts And We're Voting Yes. The highlight for me was when Ben Gibbard gave the band a reprieve from heat and did a solo acoustic on "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" a surprise hit from the band's breakthrough 2005 album Plans. All across the field fans held their phone lights in the air as Ben serenaded the crowd. After the band's break they came back with force. What felt like a turning point in the show, they did a smoky three minute build-up before breaking into "I Will Possess Your Heart". This sent the crowd into a frenzy!

I'll be honest, this was a little over the halfway mark, but I had to throw in the towel. I absolutely love Death Cab but boy was it insanely hot. I really hope we get another Death Cab headline before too long because I was bummed I had to miss the closer of "Transatlanticism". Such is life. If you get a chance give the new album I Built You A Tower a spin and let us know if you survived the heat and lived to tell the tale!

Thanks for reading and we'll see you at the next one!

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