“Interpol captures the moment on a late-night city street when the crowd suddenly vanishes and loneliness stares you in the face.” – Rolling Stone
Newcastle post-punk band dust opened proceedings, with their experimental jazz elements, immersive guitars and overall dark and brooding sound foreshadowing Interpol nicely. They list the likes of Aphex Twin and King Krule among their influences – definitely ones to watch.
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Interpol then expanded on the post-punk introduction – dressed in black suits – with their overtly new wave-influenced, atmospheric and moody compositions, driven by Paul Banks’ incredible baritone vocals that have not withered at all over the years. The real standout in the live setting is Daniel Kessler’s intricate guitar work, and a rhythm section that often employs a pulsating and propulsive energy.
The biggest crowd responses, of course, were to the numerous classics from Turn on the Bright Lights, which stands today as one of the landmark releases in the post-punk revival.
Bloc Party did ultimately feel like the headliner, there was a notable shift in the crowd when Kele Okereke took to the stage, looking like he’d spend the 2010s heavily hitting the gym. They’re a much more dynamic and energetic sound, angular guitar riffs, intricate rhythms, and of course, his distinctive vocals.
Much like Interpol, the biggest responses were for tracks from their own debut, Silent Alarm, with Kele noting that Interpol took them on their first-ever tour. Many of those tracks are prime examples of dance-punk, which combined with Kele’s socially-charged lyrics, made for a full-throttle end to the show.
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