Interpol returned to Atlanta Nov. 10 at The Tabernacle, touring in support of latest album, El Pintor, which dropped in September. A nearly sold out crowd at the Tabby greeted the band as they came onstage awash in ethereal red light, setting the tone for the first song, “Say Hello to the Angels” from the band’s critically acclaimed 2002 debut album Turn on the Bright Lights. One of the band’s more upbeat songs, it had the crowd dancing and singing along from the very start.
Interpol has certainly come a long way from playing small clubs in its hometown of NYC, but the graduation to larger venues has not diminished the band’s intimate vibe. One look around the faces in the crowd told how entranced they were with front man Paul Banks’ intense baritone, Sam Fogarino’s passionate drums and Daniel Kessler’s vibrant guitar. Banks was a man of few words throughout the night, but he flashed the occasional smile at the crowd between songs to show his appreciation.
El Pintor, the band’s first record since announcing a hiatus in 2011, and first without beloved bassist Carlos Dengler (who left the band in 2010), strikes a nice balance between the band’s early sound and the more keyboard-fueled sound of the last two albums. “My Blue Supreme,” “Breaker 1” and “My Desire” fit nicely into the set alongside Interpol classics such as “PDA” and “Leif Erikson” from Lights and “Take You on a Cruise,” “Slow Hands” and “Evil” from 2004’s Antics. “The Lighthouse,” from 2007’s Our Love to Admire, was a nice surprise, featuring a backdrop of serene ocean waves hovering above the band.
The night seemed over much too soon, but the band returned to the stage for a three-song encore that included current single “All the Rage Back Home,” the epic “NYC” and fan favorite “Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down.”
Full Setlist:
Say Hello to the Angels
My Blue Supreme
Anywhere
Evil
Leif Erikson
My Desire
Take You on a Cruise
Everything Is Wrong
Lights
Breaker 1
The Lighthouse
PDA
Not Even Jail
Slow Hands
Encore:
All the Rage Back Home
NYC
Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down