NOTE: All photos are copyright of Howard Shiau Photography 2026
As I was driving through the heavy rain towards Canandaigua, NY to see Death Cab for Cutie, a tornado alert sounds loudly on my cell phone. A minute later, another tornado alert came through and soon after, a flash flood warning, leaving me wondering if the show was going to be cancelled this night. The venue even delayed doors for half an hour. Uh oh. But as we approached the time for doors, it had stopped raining and the sky was brightening, providing a sigh of relief for everyone.
When Death Cab for Cutie announced that they had signed with a new record label Anti-, would be releasing new music, and embarking on a North American tour, I immediately checked to see if they would be playing nearby. Special guests included Japanese Breakfast, Jay Som, and Nation of Language, a wonderful trio of indie artists! In June, they released I Built You a Tower, their first record in four years, a record full of powerful emotional songs, written in the aftermath of frontman Ben Gibbard’s divorce. The last track on the record “I Built You a Tower (b)” is the culmination of the record, an acceptance and release of the heartache and grief. For much of pop music, you listen to the hook and worry about the lyrics later. For a band like Death Cab, you must listen to the lyrics and the music follows. I was looking forward to hearing the new songs live.
As doors opened, the skies opened up again, greeting us with a massive downpour! Luckily, it stopped before Japanese Breakfast’s set, although the photo pit was full of puddles of water. The band had released their latest record For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) in March 2025, followed by a world tour. Lead vocalist/guitarist Michelle Zauner had announced at Gov Ball that she and husband/fellow bandmate Peter Bradley were expecting their first baby and was promptly called affectionally “Jpreggie” (as Jbrekkie is her regular IG handle). As she entered the stage wearing a black baby doll dress, her pregnancy bump was barely noticeable. They kicked off their set with “Paprika” from 2021’s Jubilee, singing while alternately striking the large gong at the center of the stage. It was an energetic start and really got the crowd into it. Since she was the opener and was only playing nine songs, she played a good mix of three songs from her latest album and six from previous records. Before she performed “So Sweet”, she said “This is the popular one” since it somehow is her only entry into US Billboard Top 10. For me, I loved “Paprika” and felt her last song “Diving Woman” was spectacular because it rocked a bit harder than the others. Having seen her several times already, I look forward to another headlining tour, although she and Bradley may be a quite busy for awhile
Click on photos to enlarge
Death Cab for Cutie hit the ground running immediately with “Riptides” from their latest record. Gibbard’s expressive vocals ran beneath the insistent throbbing of his rhythm guitar, Zack Rae’s keyboard scratching the back of your consciousness, and the tap tap of Jason McGerr’s drums. As his vocals rose in volume, he was joined first by Dave Depper’s guitar, then Nick Harmer’s bass, building into the fullness of the band’s sound during the chorus. Death Cab for Cutie has not lost a step over the years and sound as good as ever. Having seen them several times over the years as a concert-goer and/or as a photojournalist covering the show, they have always been as solid a band as you’ll run into. Whether you’re the type of fan that likes to close your eyes and just take it in or whether you want to be bouncing along to every song, this band provides what you’re after.
For many, their favorite performance of the night was “I Will Follow You Into the Dark”, which had the whole crowd singing along! Their extensive twenty four song set covered seven songs from their latest record and, although they included songs from many of their records, noticeably absent was Thank You For Today, which included fan favorites “Gold Rush” and “Northern Lights”. With such an storied discography, I understand it’s hard to please everyone while still playing what you need to from your most recent album. They closed out their main set with “Soul Meets Body”, the hit in 2005 that really put them on the map and was a radio mainstay, then an amazing four song encore, anchored by an incredibly appropriate “Transatlanticism” with “The clouds above opened up and let it out. I was standing on the surface of a perforated sphere when the water filled every hole”. We were lucky and ecstatic that the rain stopped just in time for us to enjoy this incredible show. If you can catch the band as they tour across North America, you won’t be disappointed.
Click on photos to enlarge
