Chicago – This past weekend, Brooklyn trio The Antlers opened two sold-out shows for Death Cab For Cutie at the historic Chicago Theatre. Best New Bands was fortunate to take in the Friday night performance. We last caught The Antlers over the summer at Lincoln Hall, in support of Familiars (ANTI-). Their Friday night visit to the Windy City brought only one song from last year’s release – “Parade” – and a stripped down, laidback set-up. Where their headlining tour brought plenty of horns, an elaborate lighting set-up, and a fourth band-mate on keys, their supporting tour for DCFC saw just the trio, dimly lit, with an emphasis on lead singer Peter Silberman’s amazing voice.
The night started off with “Drift Drive,” off the 2012 EP Undersea. Those acquainted with The Antlers applauded Silberman, keyboardist Darby Cicci, and drummer Michael Lerner when they broke into the melancholy tune. The three, but especially Silberman, seemed rather relaxed, and they made it a casual Friday, wearing jeans and t-shirts. (Perhaps because there was little pressure felt, being the supporting act?) Silberman and Cicci swayed back and forth as they sweetly sang into the mic. At the completion of “Drift Drive,” whistles and applause spread.
The only Hospice song for the evening was up next. It was “Kettering,” and it was divine. Silberman’s voice was smooth as ever. “Kettering” definitely made up for the lack of horns; as sad as it was not to hear Cicci on trumpet, it was wonderful to hear this tearjerker, in which he kills it on keys. The majority of the six-song set was taken from 2011’s critically acclaimed Burst Apart, including “No Widows” and “I Don’t Want Love.”
Before the final song of the night, Silberman thanked the crowd, smiled, and softly said, “It’s not every day that something like this happens for a band like us.” He then thanked Death Cab For Cutie for having them. DCFC handpicked The Antlers to join them on this North American tour.
The Antlers finished the night with “Putting the Dog to Sleep.” The entire seven-minute song was amazing, but the ending was especially breathtakingly, with Silberman’s guitar crying out, as if it were shedding tears of sorrow.
Later in the evening, when Death Cab was finishing up their set, Ben Gibbard said, “Ladies and gentlemen please give a warm round of applause to The Antlers. We like that band so much. We are so honored to have them touring with us.” Given the reaction of concertgoers, it’s safe to say The Antlers gained quite a bit of new fans in Chicago. It’s great to see this tour is exposing their music to a new audience, building their fan base. More people ought to know about The Antlers!
The Antlers are on tour now with Death Cab for Cutie. They’ll soon be touring with Spoon and then playing a few summer festivals. Tour dates are available on the band’s facebook page.
Photo of The Antlers by Sarah Hess
Sarah Hess
After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.
You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.
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