On The Download: Death Cab for Cutie - KCRWs Berkeley Street Sessions

First Published: October 18, 2011 11:09 PM EDT Credit: Jeremiah Garcia. Caption Death Cab for Cutie perform at KCRWs Berkeley Street SessionsLOS ANGELES, Calif. -- KCRW hosted a private Death Cab for Cutie show at Bob Clearmountains Berkeley Street studio in Santa Monica. This intimate setting is a perfect venue for watching a band you truly love. The past few times Ive seen Death Cab in concert I was really far away amongst a crowd of thousands, so it was such a treat to see them up close and personal. The excited crowd of 150 people stood shoulder to shoulder in eager anticipation waiting for the band to take the stage. After 14 years together, Ben, Chris, Jason and Nick released their seventh studio album, Codes and Keys, back in May. Throughout their ten-song set, they performed songs from the new album as well as some fan favorites. Opening with Crooked Teeth (one of my favorites) from their seminal album Plans, the quartet seemed right at home on a relatively smaller stage than theyre used to. They led right into A Movie Script Ending, followed by a song from the new album, Doors Unlocked and Open, which had everyone moving in unison to the strong and steady beat. Thats just one of the many things I love about this band. No matter how mellow they may seem, their live shows always get people moving. They performed the new albums lead single, You Are a Tourist next. The audience hung on to every word as lead singer Ben Gibbard sang define your destination/theres so many places to call home. Following Tourist, there was a mini-break in the show where the band was interviewed by KCRWs Annie Litt and we got to know a little bit more about the quartet. For any Death Cab fan, it was a brilliant dialogue where they discussed their lyrics, music, touring, books theyre reading and how theyve managed to stay strong as a band throughout the last decade and a half. After the interview, they kicked back into gear with Portable Television laden with a groovy tambourine (tambourines are ALWAYS groovy!) and a predominant drum beat. After Blacking Out the Friction, they played a couple more songs from Codes and Keys, including the album closer, the sweet and carefree Stay Young, Go Dancing. For their non-core as Ben called it they closed with the full and rich Sound of Settling. The show was over way too soon, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. This really was an incredible venue and the acoustics were top notch. The performance and interview will air on Tuesday, November 1 on KCRWs Morning Becomes Eclectic. Be sure to tune in! It will also be streaming live on line during the radio broadcast. You can catch Death Cab for Cute currently on tour and their Keys and Codes Remix EP will be available on November 22. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.