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On tour in support of the release of their third full-length, Our Love to Admire, post-punk rockers Interpol packed the house at the LA Forum last night. But before the beloved indie-band-made-good came on, new tourmates Liars, currently promoting their new self-titled release, delivered an electrifying performance that seemed to baffle some 'pol fans.

Angus Andrews | by Alexis Roberts

Enigmatic frontman Angus Andrews galloped onto the stage clad in a white suit, looking somewhat like an oddball revivalist preacher. The association carried over as he shimmied and shook his way like a man speaking tongues through songs from their wide-ranging, avant-rock catalogue, culminating in a creepily awesome rendition of "We Fenced Other Gardens with the Bones of Our Own," from their sophomore album, They Were Wrong So We Drowned.

Aaron Hemphill | Angus Andrews | by Alexis Roberts

Liars at the LA Forum | by Alexis Roberts

Interpol, too, excelled in the performance of earlier material. But before we talk about the music, one can never neglect this band's fashion. Ever the preener, bassist Carlos D sported a calf-length coat, a sweet 'stache, and stack-heeled boots that lent his cat-like stage prowl a bit of a demure quality. Meanwhile, guitarist Daniel Kessler—a relentless ball of energy—skittered around stage in a three-piece suit throughout. More simply clothed (in all black, of course) frontman Paul Banks stayed fairly still throughout the set, relying on his undeniably magnetic voice to keep fans enthralled, while Sam Fogarino brewed up fabulously bombastic drum parts behind him.

Interpol at the LA Forum | by Alexis Roberts

Carlos D | Paul Banks | by Alexis Roberts

Milking their hugely popular debut album, Turn on the Bright Lights, for all it was worth (and we're not complaining here), Interpol peppered their set heavily with cuts from the record. The high point was probably "Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down," in which Banks' insistent, powerful and eerie vocals called to mind A Streetcar Named Desire run through a Philip K. Dick machine, as he bellowed "Stella I love you / Stella I love you." But the new material sounded just as good, proving that Interpol is one band that knows how to evolve—and please their fans.

Paul Banks | Daniel Kessler | by Alexis Roberts

—Jocelyn K. Glei
10.24.07