Words & Photography: Alisha Lawton
Interpol opened their show in Manchester for the second night of the 20th anniversary Antics tour.
First to the stage was an Australian band that goes by the name dust. The stage was dark with a few red and white beamed lights every so often; the moody lighting translated throughout their music with dark guitar tones and emotional vocals.
Just before Interpol were due to take the stage, a curtain covered the stage preparing the audience for a grand entrance to the stage. The venue went dark, the audience screamed, the stage filled with bright red lights, which is a signature for the New York originated band.
After entering the stage, they started the show by playing the first song from the anniversary album Next Exit; it was clear from that moment on that the audience were in for an impeccable show. After transitioning from song to song, the band gave the audience a few seconds to get their breath back from jumping and dancing along. Frontman, Paul Banks, thanked the audience for coming to the show and said "let’s take you on a cruise". The crowd behind jumped to the sound of the drum and clapped along to the beat.
Interpol didn't have to say much between their songs as the music speaks for itself. Their fans are full of passion; as you look around the venue you can see that their music connects to people of all ages. A few songs later, Banks states that they will play a few more songs off their 20 year old Antics album and then they would come back with more music for this beautiful day. After this was said, a fan from the back of the venue shouted that he ‘loved the band’. It was clear that the love for the band flooded throughout the venue and every person in the room.
Throughout the entire song, fans were dancing in the aisles and their seats; you could feel the floor shaking and feel the bass in your chest. After playing 10 songs from the Antics album, Banks stated "thank you that was antics", and the band put down their instruments and left the stage for a brief interval.
After a short break, they came back to the stage and played more hits that the audience couldn't get enough of; the venue is filled with die-hard fans. It was great to see the fans' connection with the band has spanned over two decades and continues to grow stronger. Interpol put on a show that both new listeners of the band will enjoy and also for people who have been fans of the band for 20 years.
