The Taste of Chicago got a dose of indie rock Thursday night from Death Cab for Cutie atthe Petrillo Music Shell.
The Seattle foursome played for fans present at The Taste while being broadcast live on 93 XRT radio station and streamed on their website. Arizona natives Calexico opened with a lively performance.
DCFC’s set began with a solo Ben Gibbard playing “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” with only his acoustic guitar. The song is arguably one of the band’s most famous, and was most likely a strategic choice for a mixed crowd of fans and Taste of Chicago attendees.
The nature of the crowd and setting continued to influence the set list. General admission seating tickets were $25 while lawn tickets were free, drawing a different crowd than the average DCFC show. The set list was heavy in songs from the band’s latest album “Codes and Keys” and other better-known songs from older albums including “Lightness” from “Transatlanticism” and “I Will Possess Your Heart” from “Narrow Stairs.”
Following the mood of an outdoor set at a food festival, Death Cab kept the mood light. For a band often known for emotion-laden songs, many of these were absent from the set. Crowd favorites like “Soul Meets Body,”