Over the weekend I saw Interpol live but was haunted by the Holy Terrors the next morning.
After a way too late night out and barely any video footage to show for it, it was the Holy Terror’s “Cigaretello” that was still stuck in my head when I awoke the following morning. Rob Elba’s screeching “higher, higher, higher and higher” repeated more and more harshly in my mind, like Black Francis in his prime with the Pixies. I wasn’t even hung over, just still high on the buzz of watching the Terrors live again after being long too absent from a local live show (that goes for both me and them).
Even though I missed their regular bass player Wil Trev (out of town on family business, according to his replacement for the night Humbert bassist Tony Landa), a key member had returned to the rhythm section: Interpol’s Sam Fogarino. His sticks slapping the skins like a Gatling Gun, unheard of in the dark droney gloom of the NYC-based Interpol, Fogarino certainly seemed glad to be back home with his old bandmates. Here’s “Turn” as preformed that night, a song that can be found on the band’s 1994 album Lolitaville. Just look at the smile on Sam’s face, and tell me he’s not happy with back on the Churchill’s stage):
The South Florida-based band, originally from Hollywood, rejoined in celebration of their “20th Anniversary” for Interpol’s officially sanctioned after party at Miami’s Churchill’s Hideaway, late Saturday night. I noticed some of Interpol’s key players in attendance (Paul Banks and Daniel Kessler were spotted), though I got too caught up catching up with old faces to even be bothered to chat them up, sorry. As a paid music journalist, my obligations might have felt different, but that night, as an unpaid blogger, I was enjoying drinking it up with old and new friends and doing a little pogoing and body slamming (sorry for kicking you while you were down, Xela Zaid). Besides, the Terrors have been a footnote to Interpol enough times. Let Interpol be the footnote in this post.
Unfortunately the batteries for my camera had died before the show began, another of the pitfalls of being a less self-conscious music blogger versus a prepared, paid music writer. So, no video footage of the Terrors recorded by me exits. However, a search of YouTube revealed several bits captured on video by others, as seen above. Here’s someone else’s video, not HD, but at least complete (though missing Rob’s hilarious intro putting down West Palm Beach). This is “Palm Beach”:
Everyone was in top form that night. Guitarist Dan Hosker is still as precise as ever for a punk rocker. Rob still screams with abandon, damn the health of his throat (good things these reunions are so sporadic). And for no rehearsal, Sam took to the songs like a fish to water. Tony did none too shabby keeping up on bass, too.
Of course, the evening began with Interpol’s last show of their make-up tour with U2, who cancelled their “360 Tour” after Bono needed back surgery, leaving Interpol with nothing else to do but replace tour dates with a club/theater tour (well, they didn’t have to, but thank God they did!). Their final show happened to be in South Florida, and the they took to the stage at the Fillmore in fine form. I was able to catch one complete song while being jostled by girls screaming like they were at a Jonas Brothers show. Here’s “Evil”:
Things were a bit calmer with the opening act, Twin Tigers. I captured them performing “Sexless Love” and another song, which I do not know the title of, but was probably their best song that night– damn catchy:
But the highlight of the night came at Churchill’s with the honest-to-goodness fun of the aged punk rockers in fine form. Still haunted by “Cigaretello,” so here’s the video from back in the day:
Everyone was in top form. Guitarist Dan Hosker is still as precise as ever for a punk rocker. Rob still screams with abandon, damn the health of his throat (good things these reunion are so sporadic). And for no rehearsal, Sam took to the songs like a fish to water.
Of course, the evening began with Interpol’s last show of their make-up tour with U2, who cancelled the “360 Tour” after Bono needed back surgery, leaving Interpol with nothing else to do but replace tour dates with a club/theater tour (well, they didn’t have to, but thank God that did!). Their final show happened to be in South Florida, and the they took to the stage at the Fillmore in fine form. I was able to catch one complete song while being jostled by girls screaming like they were at a Jonas Brothers show. Here’s “Evil”:
