The Postal Service in Seattle

I guess the promoters thought The Postal Service could sell out Key Arena, no sweat. But even with the entire balcony curtained off, the loge seating was barely half full. There are a couple of amphitheaters in the area that would've been better suited to a crowd this size.

But never mind that. The people who didn't buy tickets missed a really good show. Gibbard and Tamborello were supported by Laura Burhenn (from the Mynabirds) on keyboards and vocals, and Jenny Lewis on keyboards, guitar, vocals, and harmonica on one song. Jen Wood, who sang on "Nothing Better" on Give Up, came out to duet with Gibbard on that song, and to sing on "Such Great Heights" as well. Sound quality and light show were great.

I had never seen Ben Gibbard onstage before; everything I'd read led me to picture him as a rather shy, reticent performer. But he was very animated, switching off between guitar, drums and just plain being the "frontman." He even jumped into the crowd during "Natural Anthem" ... and then climbed back onto the stage to act like both Townshend AND Moon, battering both the guitar and the drums. (It was a long wait for the encore, while the roadies re-assembled the drum kit.)

SETLIST:
The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
We Will Become Silhouettes
Sleeping In
Turn Around
Recycled Air
Be Still My Heart
Clark Gable
Our Secret (Beat Happening cover)
Nothing Better (with Jen Wood)
This Place Is a Prison
There's Never Enough Time
A Tattered Line of String
Such Great Heights (with Jen Wood)
Natural Anthem

ENCORE:
(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan (Dntel cover)
Brand New Colony

The SuperSonics leaving may have severely impacted the pricing matrix. They may price the structure very competitively now or have a floating price for slow weeks. I know they've been desperately wooing the NHL. You could probably have your next party there. The one next to the needle, right? Never actually been inside.

They're playing (or already played?) the Rose Garden down here, where the Blazers still play. One of the alt weeklies also noted the incongruity of them playing the same venue that Lady Gaga or Tim McGraw might have played.

I guess the enthusiasm begins to wane when you tour the same album for 11 years.

> I guess the enthusiasm begins to wane when you tour the same album for 11 years.

According to the Rilo Kiley website, the group last toured in 2003, when Give Up was released. Since then, the principals have kept busy with other projects, and efforts to come up with a second Postal Service album have been sporadic.

> I know they've been desperately wooing the NHL.

Yep, and flirting with the NBA too. But their overtures won't be taken very seriously without a new arena. Not surprisingly, though, any recommendation for a site for a new sports arena in Seattle has been met with serious resistance. I guess tearing down Key Arena and building a new one on the same site isn't considered an option.

> The one next to the needle, right? Never actually been inside.

It's not as nice as the Pepsi Center, but a lot nicer than the old McNichols Arena.

Wait, the Old Mac or the second one (built in late 80s, same site but way better...as it didn't have sinking roof beams and tilting foundation!) ?



Post Edited (07-30-13 11:35)

Seattle is like that. With baseball and soccer (and part of football) season overlapping, we've learned to check the sports schedules and take them into account if there's a band we want to see. Especially if they're playing Showbox SoDo, which is just up the street from both the big sports fields. (And now the push is to get approval to put the new basketball/hockey arena down there in that stretch too. Jeez.)

Yup, worst overall traffic I've ever drove in. Due to the geography it's all funneled to the 5 corridor. You learn the surface streets instead, à la Canada (mysterious land of no beltways/connectors/controlled access). It's the only place I've been where a traffic jam was cause by sudden sunshine/dry roads. (True story).



Post Edited (07-30-13 11:37)

Yeah, I believe that. It's as if the sun kinda startles the folks here ...