Death Cab for Cutie and Postal Service hit 'Such Great Heights'

Two staple 2000s indie bands are on an epic anniversary tour, and Pittsburgh concertgoers were lucky to see it Thursday night at the Petersen Events Center in Oakland.

Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service have a few things in common. First, they both released landmark albums in 2003 (Death Cab’s “Transatlanticism” and The Postal Service’s “Give Up”). Second, they are linked by Ben Gibbard, who serves as front man for both acts. Thus, a shared 20th anniversary tour for those albums seems natural.

They embarked on that tour last year and finally arrived here in Pittsburgh to play the entirety of those ’03 albums in one show.

The crowd was jubilant as Death Cab for Cutie took the stage, crashing into their album’s opener “The New Year” on a tiered stage lit with pulsing lights that flashed with the song’s thundering drums.

Gibbard sounded much the same as he did in 2003 — maybe a little more world-weary, but that only lent itself to the melancholy of the music. The opening song was incandescent, if not cheerful.

The lighting was a huge factor, fading to orange like smoldering coals during “Lightness” or turning blue and oscillating during “Title and Registration,” a song with a masterfully played and catchy guitar line. Gibbard’s vocals were earnest, almost halting.

In “The Sound of Settling,” Gibbard had the crowd singing along with the “ba-baaa”s in the chorus. “Tiny Vessels” put Gibbard’s vocals in the spotlight, and it felt like he was singing directly to each person in the crowd.

The title track of the album arrived awash in ocean-blue light, and it started with muted instrumentation and Gibbard singing the lyrics like they’re the words of his favorite poem. The song built and built until it was big enough to fill the arena, and the audience sang the refrain “I need you so much closer” over and over again like a prayer.

It’s clear the band still loves these songs — performing them as though they were brand new and well-rehearsed. The members paced and swayed, letting their instruments guide their movements. Gibbard is a great performer, with simple gestures like pointing out imaginary shooting stars on the ceiling during “Passenger Seat.”

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As they brought the album play-through to its conclusion, Gibbard took a rare moment to talk to the audience. “It’s lovely to be back in Pittsburgh,” he said, sharing that Death Cab for Cutie played here for the first time in 2000 at “a place called The Mr. Roboto Project.” The crowd cheered in recognition.

The closing run of their set — through “Death of an Interior Designer,” “We Looked Like Giants” and “A Lack of Color” — continued the juxtaposition of exuberant performance and sad, sad songs.

As Death Cab wrapped up, Gibbard said, “Give us 15 minutes, we’re gonna come back and we’re gonna ‘give up’ on you,” referencing The Postal Service’s lone album’ title.

It’s truly impressive that the length of Death Cab for Cutie’s set matched the play time of “Transatlanticism” in its recorded form almost exactly.

Ready for more, Gibbard returned to the stage for his second set of the night, singing with Jenny Lewis (best known for being a part of indie band Rilo Kiley). If the first half of the night was coffee and a cigarette, the second half felt more like a bubblegum pink cocktail — even if the lyrics weren’t much more cheerful. The Postal Service’s electropop was sharp and fun. They delivered some heart-pounding moments, especially during their opening track, “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight.”

If a random person off the street had been pulled into this show, it’s most likely that the song they’d recognize would’ve been “Such Great Heights.” This audience was thrilled to hear its opening effervescent pops and sang along for the song’s whole length.

Lewis provided a smooth contrast to Gibbard when they harmonized, especially on “Nothing Better,” where they are in conversation with each other. Both in white, she and Gibbard played off each other in their movements around the stage too.

Once again, the stage lights tell the story of The Postal Service. Where they were often restrained and themed around color during Death Cab’s set, here they were flashy, colorful, cascading and futuristic. Between the music and lights, there was more of a nightclub feel during many parts of the set.

Toward the end of “Give Up,” with the help of some members of Death Cab, the songs became more arena rock, especially “We Will Become Silhouettes” and “Natural Anthem.” But the song to come out of this show stuck in your head is “Brand New Colony,” which Gibbard dedicated to Pittsburgh and felt almost like an eight-bit video game soundtrack. Gibbard and Lewis truly shined on it.

The notion of the encore was a real head-scratcher. With two complete albums just played, what could these groups do to cap off the evening? The answer was a pleasant surprise. First, Gibbard and Lewis came onstage to duet on a guitar-only, slowed down version of “Such Great Heights,” reminiscent of the popular cover by Iron and Wine. Then, the members of both acts got together for a rainbow-lit, electrifying performance of Depeche Mode’s “Emjoy the Silence.”

“This song goes out to anyone who was a teenager before Instagram,” Gibbard announced.

The evening had an opener, as well — Madison, Wis., alt-rock outfit Slow Pulp, whose first music was released in 2015 but who sound reminiscent of ’90s bands. Their guitar-driven rock, and the Kim Deal-esque vocals of lead singer Emily Massey, were appropriately moody to act as an appetizer for what was to come.

Lovers of ’90s and ’00s alternative would do well to give them a listen.

For many, this entire evening was a shot of pure nostalgia. But even after 20 years, these bands can make both of these albums feel brand new — and maybe even convert a new generation of fans.