There was a pretty decent crowd last night at the Calla / Interpol show at The Rave. Milwaukee made me proud! I was looking forward to both performances and the supporting act, Calla, definitely had a fanbase of their own there.

I am familiar with and love Calla’s albums, ‘Collisions’ and ‘Strength in Numbers’. I have to say, with the exception of 2 songs, I was really disappointed. The vocals were way overpowered by the music. Yes, Calla’s style showcases powerful drums and guitars but the vocals are just as special. So, I was a bit bummed. Was the venue’s sound system at fault? I don’t know; I’m not a musician and I am challenged by all that technical stuff. Calla has certainly had enough tour experience… who knows.

I have to add that with the loss of sound quality I especially noticed that they were just a little too stagnant on stage. The drummer kept his head down the vast majority of the time and one of the other two guys too often stood still. I honestly felt like they lost a chunk of their passion. I hope that’s not the case! I hate being negative about their show because I truly do like their music very much.

Was there a long wait for Interpol or were we all just too excited to wait? Finally, out they came. They looked so frickin’ cool in their nice pressed suits and ties under artsy, futuristic-like lights. Carlos’ is sporting a new mustache and western look! They’re all quite dashing, in case you haven’t noticed. Anyway, the whole scene was electrifying! There were screams and cheers, arms in the air and clapping hands, racing pulses and There was a bounty of anticipation.

Of course they played, ‘Pioneer to the Falls’ (which I ADORE) and ‘The Heinrich Maneuver’. Both are recent hits from their 2007 release, ‘Our Love to Admire’. From the same release they played, ‘Rest My Chemistry’ and I think they played ‘The Scale’. Some other songs were ‘C’mere’, ‘Evil’, ‘Obstacle 1’, and ‘Slow Hands’. God, I loved every single song they played and how they played it! They sounded AMAZING! I can’t recall but they either played a 3 or 4 song encore as well.

I would have been satisfied after hearing the music alone but watching Daniel gliding around the stage, Paul breaking the hearts of many girls, Carlos’ suave cigarette breaks, and Sam’s enthusiastic facial expressions, the show will forever be embedded in my mind. They really connected with the audience!

Links:
Official Calla