Death Cab For Cutie at Ottawa Bluesfest 2023. Photo credit: Scott Martin Visuals
Late in the show, Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard acknowledged the elephant in the room. In 2011, I was front and centre when the stage collapsed on Cheap Trick. It was a scary moment and then a huge disappointment to learn that all remaining shows would be cancelled.
Death Cab for Cutie, still at the height of their fame, was supposed to be headlining that final night of Bluesfest but never got to play. Admitting that he had been a little “soured” by the experience, Gibbard and company finally returned to Ottawa after a 12-year absence, bringing with them a hip new nickname for O-Town: “The Wa.”
Whether or not the name sticks, Death Cab made their mark on Ottawa and a Bluesfest crowd hungry for the veteran band’s unique take on emo-tinged indie rock, and only a little worried about the forecasted thunderstorm.
Death Cab have built their reputation on their poetic, emotional lyrics set against urgent guitar or gentle keyboards and plenty of crunchy accents. Their most recent album, Asphalt Meadows, was a return to form. So, it was nice to hear six of their new songs sitting comfortably alongside middle-period classics like “We Looked Like Giants,” “Soul Meets Body,” and “Cath…”
“Black Sun” was a surprising standout with its already powerful meditation on depression enhanced by a vocals-only chorus some light choreography. A less surprising standout was “I Will Follow You into the Dark” played by Gibbard on stage alone with just an acoustic guitar and a massive crowd singing along to every word. Gibbard shared some of his own thoughts, recalling his annoyance at seeing his favourite bands at big shows, only to make the crowd sing the biggest song. To keep everyone happy, he made sure to include an extra chorus for him alone.
Vibing in the Solos
As masters of creating and nurturing a feeling, the band’s kep things interesting throughout with a setlist that featured many extended instrumental parts. Notably, the already long intro to “I Will Possess Your Heart” was given even more space to breathe in the live rendering; there’s nothing like a big reverby solo at a crowded outdoor show to create a mood. Death Cab was full of these slow-burning numbers, closing the main set with the spoken-word story song, “Foxgloves Through the Clearcut,” and then the encore with the irresistibly moving “Transatlanticism.”
After waiting for so long, Bluesfest and The Wa finally got the Death Cab for Cutie show it’s been waiting for.
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Death Cab For Cutie at Ottawa Bluesfest 2023. Photo credit: Scott Martin Visuals
Death Cab For Cutie at Ottawa Bluesfest 2023. Photo credit: Scott Martin Visuals
Death Cab For Cutie at Ottawa Bluesfest 2023. Photo credit: Scott Martin Visuals
Death Cab For Cutie at Ottawa Bluesfest 2023. Photo credit: Scott Martin Visuals
Death Cab For Cutie at Ottawa Bluesfest 2023. Photo credit: Scott Martin Visuals