So now the concert high has more or less subsided (after a full workday, and, well, two or so re-listenings to the setlist). In short, it was an awesome, amazing experience. In long, well, keep reading.
Minutiae, mundane details / pre-concert
I went to pick up my ticket early (at the venue itself), got a little lost and ended up taking two different long ways around from Dhoby Gaut to Fort Canning and back. It was on the walk back when I started regretting my decision to wear one of my long-sleeved button-up shirts (that I never usually get to wear): too friggin' hot in this country!
Met up with Nai whom I haven't seen in a long time (since his internship with Insync ended last year, actually), had a quick yakisoba dinner then we were off. It drizzled almost imperceptibly for a short while on our way there but thankfully it stopped and didn't develop into actual rain which would have dampened (get it?) the outdoor event. Arrived at the venue a good 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of 8pm.
Stood around and waited, caught up with a bit of shop talk (Nai's current consulting firm is involved in some pretty interesting projects at the moment), made our way to a spot as close to the stage as we could still secure at that point.
The main event
And then they came on and started the show. I remember a weird feeling of detached disbelief that lasted for a few more songs even as I thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful live performances, so much more vivid and immediate than studio recordings.
There's nothing quite like hearing a familiar song, a song that you love and have loved for a while down to memorizing the particular dynamics and shifts and progressions of its record, performed live and pleasantly surprising you and slipping free of your expectations at every turn. (To a lesser extent, I also enjoyed the slightly jarring feeling of not hearing the next song in the album order, as I've developed the habit of listening to music by album instead of shuffled or in my own playlist order.) I could go into details here regarding which songs I particularly loved the live versions of, but I'll restrain myself from fanboying to that extent!
It was pretty awesome to know all but a couple of the songs in more than a passing way. It felt great to sing along with the crowd during a few of their more well-loved songs, although even then I was still keenly aware of the presumption of my act (I never did develop any skill or confidence at karaoke...).
I really really loved the encore set, mostly for the last two songs: Tiny Vessels and Transatlanticism, which are among my favorites separately, and even more so played together. They're great, sad songs in their own rights, but I'll admit to having some personal (perhaps sentimental) associations that increase
(Minor quibble, though -- the crowd seemed rather sedate. There was just one guy off to my left who was appreciably moving his body, and I could've sworn some people were shooting him disapproving glances. Well, to each his own, I would've wanted to been moving more freely, but I'm too self-conscious about being graceless.)
Aftermath
My enjoyment of their music has been enriched in a strange, nearly undefinable way. I know it doesn't really make much sense, but listening to their music now, after having heard them perform live and having been within spitting distance of the actual human beings that make up Death Cab for Cutie, is just subtly different and better.
And it got me to thinking about which other bands and artists I'd like to see live while I still have the time and resources to go to concerts. We'll see, we'll see...
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